Fire and Rain
by DCFanatic4life
Summary: Chris and Stephanie hate everyone, and everyone hates them, now why would that be? Completed
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or real people in this fic, Vince and WWE does, and the real people own themselves.  
  
~  
  
Stephanie and Chris peeked around the corner at Test and Stacy. She was yelling at him after finding a pair of women's underwear in his gym bag. She slapped him across the face and stalked off angrily, not giving Test a second glance. During the whole speech, where Test couldn't get a word in edgewise, he looked utterly confused by the presence of the underwear.  
  
Stephanie and Chris leaned against the wall, laughing to themselves. She looked at him, grinning evilly, and he smirked back at her. Together they walked down the hallway, her hair flowing behind her as she walked side by side with Chris. They made quite the intimidating duo.  
  
"Did you see the look on her face?" Stephanie said, glancing over at the man.  
  
"Of course, but what was funnier? Her reaction or his?"  
  
"Ooh, you make things so difficult on me," she said.  
  
"And you? Those were from your personal collection weren't they?"  
  
She led him into her dressing room, practically dragging him. She led him over to the couch and pushed him down lightly. She smiled down at him and turned around. She gave him a small glance over her shoulder and pulled down her pants slightly, revealing nothing underneath. Chris's eyes widened as he took in her smooth alabaster skin.  
  
"Yeah, they were from my personal collection," she told him.  
  
"You know better than to do that," he said, shaking her head.  
  
"Oh, and why, because my big, bad boyfriend Hunter will beat you up for thinking that we're somehow fucking?"  
  
"I don't particularly want to get beat on Stephanie, I mean, look at this face," he said, turning his head from side to side, "I don't want anything marring this beautiful mug."  
  
She came over and ran her smooth hand down the side of his face, "No, we don't want you to be ugly."  
  
"Ugly? Who said anything about ugly?"  
  
She kneeled in front of his chair, putting both hands on each of his knees, "But didn't you love how he didn't know who's they were and she just kept yelling at him?"  
  
"Of course, just like we planned."  
  
"I love messing with people."  
  
"I love it more," he said.  
  
"Oh, I beg to differ," she said, leaning up.  
  
"Who should we get next?"  
  
"Hmm...I don't know, you choose."  
  
"Well, I have been feuding with Edge. I can't think of anyone to get more than him. He deserves it thinking he can beat me in the ring."  
  
Stephanie knelt in between his legs and leaned in close to him so their lips were almost touching. She smirked, leaning in closer. Chris knew that she was teasing him and that she was so onboard this plan. She always got like this when they were thinking about screwing someone over.  
  
"I'd love to," she whispered.  
  
"If you get any closer Stephanie, you know that you'll be cheating on your boyfriend," he told her, knowing that she was faithful to that overgrown lump.  
  
"Oh, and I can't have my fun," she said, going over to the couch, checking her nails.  
  
"Stephanie, you know you're faithful to Hunter. Though God knows why," he muttered.  
  
"Oh, you just don't know what it's like to be in love," she said, shaking her head.  
  
"No, I don't Stephanie, but if it makes you a blubbering idiot like it does to you whenever you talk about him, I don't ever want to be in love."  
  
"Oh, so I'm not allowed to have feelings?" she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Not when they make you look weak."  
  
"Oh Christopher, poor naïve Christopher, I'm not weak," she said, getting up.  
  
"Ok, fine, fine," he said, "Get a grip Stephanie."  
  
"I'll get a grip when you get a life."  
  
"I've got one, it seems like you're the one who's got no life."  
  
He got up and pulled her to him, "What's the plan for Edge?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"What's going on here?" Hunter said.  
  
"Nothing baby," Stephanie said, raising an eyebrow towards Chris. He pulled away reluctantly.  
  
"Yup, nothing Trips."  
  
"Ok," he said, looking at them suspiciously.  
  
"Don't worry Trips, I'm not fucking your girl," Chris said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Chris!" Stephanie cried indignantly, slapping his chest.  
  
He rubbed his chest and pouted at her, "What was that for?"  
  
"You being an ass," she said, "Hunter, don't believe a word he says."  
  
"Oh, I don't Steph," Hunter said, coming over and wrapping an arm around her.  
  
"I guess I'll see you around Steph, bye Trips."  
  
"Bye Chris," Stephanie said, giving him a goodbye smirk.  
  
Chris shook his head as he left her locker room. Every time he was with Stephanie, it was like a new risk or adventure came to play. That's why he loved being around her. He'd never had her physically, and that was fine with him, he liked her for her brains, and her sadistic nature.  
  
He didn't know how he had gone without her. How he had lived with his old friends, the dull, boring ones that hated him now. Yet, he didn't care, he had practically everyone in the company hating his guts and he could've cared less. As long as he was with Stephanie, that didn't matter.  
  
How had he exactly fallen in with the youngest McMahon? He didn't exactly know. It was like one night he was just drawn to that smirk she always wore. The one where the side of her mouth would turn up a little and she'd raise her eyebrow, and you knew she was plotting something.  
  
He was sucked into her world, and it was fun. It was better than anything he ever had with his old friends. She made him laugh, and made him feel like he was alive. He loved plotting and scheming with her more than anything else that was in his life.  
  
Now he was hated by mostly everyone. All his old friends saw him in a different light, and they didn't like it. He had told them all to fuck off and let him live his life. They were still trying to convince him that Stephanie was just using him, but he refused to believe that.  
  
Going into his dressing room, he saw Christian, who he was sharing with, sitting on the couch, talking to Torrie Wilson. They both turned away from his as they saw him enter, speaking to each other in low whispers.  
  
"You two don't have to act like I have the fucking plague," Chris said, walking over to his things.  
  
"We're not," Christian snapped, "I'm just talking to my friend."  
  
"Oh, ok, that's fine, don't let me interrupt," Chris told them sarcastically.  
  
They went back to talking and Chris went back to his things. That's how everything was nowadays, his old friends snapped at him, didn't include him, talked in whispers around him. He looked up as the door opened.  
  
"Oh, lovely, you have company," Stephanie said, looking over at Christian and Torrie.  
  
"Stephanie, my beautiful friend," Chris said standing up, "Miss me already?"  
  
"Oh of course darling, you know I can't go two seconds without you," she said, batting her eyelashes comically.  
  
"Oh look Christian, it's the terrible twosome."  
  
"Oh my goodness Torrie, did you think that one up yourself," Stephanie gasped, "I figured that you didn't have the brains to."  
  
"Oh, that's nice coming from you Stephanie, you should know, being the one with no brains."  
  
Stephanie gave a high, fake laugh, "Oh, Torrie, you silly girl, why don't you go find another lollipop to suck on, or you know, just go for Christian's lollipop, it probably wouldn't be the first time."  
  
Torrie stood up, "I'm leaving, I can't stand being around these two!"  
  
"I'm with you," Christian said, disgusted, following Torrie out of the room.  
  
"And that my friend, is how you get people to leave a room," Stephanie said proudly.  
  
Chris clapped, "Brilliant my dear. The lollipops line, pure genius."  
  
Stephanie gave a little bow, "Thank you my adoring public."  
  
"So what are you doing here Stephanie?" Chris said, turning serious.  
  
"Who's Edge dating?"  
  
"Dawn Marie," Chris told her, "Why do you...Stephanie, what do you have in mind? A little of what we did to Test and Stacy?"  
  
"See, no, I don't want to do that. I'm thinking, we make Dawn Marie manage someone.....like you."  
  
Chris scoffed, "You, you are skillful."  
  
"Do I get a reward?"  
  
"What kind of reward?"  
  
She walked closer, "Hmmm....what could I be thinking?"  
  
"Go back to your boyfriend Stephanie," Chris said, shaking his head, "We both know nothing is going to happen."  
  
Chris didn't notice Stephanie flinch when he mentioned going back to Hunter. He never looked for her feelings. She didn't blame him, they weren't about genuine feelings, just about hatred, manipulation, and sometimes lust. He couldn't be expected to see more.  
  
"I guess I will. We'll discuss this later. Goodbye Chris, for now anyways."  
  
"It was nice doing business with you Stephanie."  
  
~  
  
A/N: So tell me what you think of whether or not to continue. And as always, be brutal if you want. :) 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow, thank you to all those who reviewed, I'm glad you like the story so far. :)  
  
~  
  
"Daddy, I want to propose a storyline to you."  
  
"What did you have in mind Stephanie?"  
  
"Well, I think that Chris Jericho should get a valet," she said sweetly, "I mean, you know, he's always alone, I think this might be a good move to have him actually show feelings for someone."  
  
Stephanie was well aware that she was the apple of her father's eye, and that he would most likely give in to her every demand. It was also good that he didn't know about everyone hating her guts. They knew better than to cross the boss, and since he loved his precious little girl, no one would dare besmirch her name in his presence.  
  
"Really," Vince told her, "Now did you have someone in mind? Yourself perhaps?"  
  
"Oh no, not me," Stephanie said, "I was thinking maybe Dawn Marie. She's not really doing anything right now."  
  
Vince beamed, "That's a great idea Princess! Put it into action."  
  
"Thank you Daddy," Stephanie told him, coming across the desk to give him a hug.  
  
She made her leave and as soon as she was out the door her smile transformed to a sneer. She walked straight to Chris's locker room, ignoring the dirty looks administered to her from just about everyone. To hell with all of them, she thought. She barged into Chris's locker room and found him in just a pair of boxers.  
  
"God Stephanie, knock much?" he said, not making any move to put clothes on.  
  
"Why knock? You don't have anything I haven't seen."  
  
"Yeah, but you've never seen mine. Let's keep it that way," he said, taking a hairbrush and combing his hair out.  
  
"I'd love to see yours," she told him mischievously.  
  
"Yeah and while we're at it, let's invite Hunter to watch because I'm sure he'd love to see you cheating on him by fucking with me," Chris told her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
She rolled her eyes, "You're just jealous."  
  
"Oh my God Stephanie! Every time I say something that you have no comeback to, you always say I'm jealous. Trust me, I'm not."  
  
She pulled in close to him and twined a strand of his hair around her manicured finger, "You are."  
  
"Oh really? Why?"  
  
"Don't even try to lie and say you wouldn't hit this."  
  
"Oh sweetheart, you know I would. But does that mean I'm going to...No."  
  
"We're already half way there," she said, eyeing his boxers.  
  
She was so easy to read, Chris mused to himself. She always got flirty and suggestive when she was hatching some kind of plot. He knew that they would never actually sleep together, but it was fun to suggest. And when she was all close like this, he could almost believe that one day he would reach the Holy Grail that was Stephanie's body.  
  
"I know we are, but I'm the only one in a state of undress," Chris told her.  
  
She started unbuttoning her top slowly, letting her fingers linger against her exposed flesh. Chris's eyes were riveted to her chest as she unbuttoned one button after another. She watched him keenly as she kept unbuttoning, loving the way his eyes brightened every time new skin was bared. Pretty soon her red lace bra was completely visible. She dropped her shirt to the ground where it fell at their feet.  
  
"There," she said to him, "And wipe the drool off your face."  
  
It took him a second to recover, "Funny Stephanie, but it seems to me we're still not even."  
  
"Oh, that's how you want to play then huh?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I do like to play," he winked.  
  
"Then....game on."  
  
She reached around her back and found the zipper to her skirt. She licked her lips as the sound of the zipper slowly coming down filled the silent room. She knew she was torturing him and she loved it. He was like any other male, in essence, completely at her mercy once she showed a little bit of skin, but he was different too. She reached the bottom of the zipper and took her hands off the back of her skirt, letting it join the shirt on the ground.  
  
Chris took a step back and admired her. She was a vision in her matching bra and panties. Her long brown hair was flowing carelessly over her bare shoulders, which gave way to her ample cleavage which he found himself staring at greedily. It was times like these he could feel himself getting jealous over what Hunter got to have and he didn't. He smiled appreciatively and sat down on the arm of the couch. She looked at him expectantly and he knew what she wanted to hear.  
  
"You know you're beautiful. Me saying it won't make any difference," he told her.  
  
"Maybe it would. You never know."  
  
"You're beautiful."  
  
"Aww, you didn't have to say that," she said coyly, before throwing her head back laughing.  
  
"Why do you do this Stephanie?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Tease me. You know it's hard to keep my restraint."  
  
"You've never had problems before."  
  
"True. So now let's get down to why you're here."  
  
She came to stand between his legs and started rubbing his thighs. He looked down at her hands as they ran over and over on his skin. She was trying to get him riled up so to speak. This was a scene they had repeated many a time before and for the most part he was immune to her advances.  
  
"Can't we do stuff before I tell you?"  
  
"Nope, because right before I'm ready to jump you, you tell me that you can't and we don't do anything," he said, "I know you Stephanie."  
  
"Fine," she said, laughing, "I talked to my father."  
  
"Oh you did, did you? And did you suck up to the old man?"  
  
"Didn't need to. You know Dad, I've got him wrapped around my little finger," she told him, holding up her pinkie finger.  
  
"So you got the green light?"  
  
"Yes, I did. Starting next show you and Dawn Marie are going to be wrestler and valet," she said brightly.  
  
"And what do you plan to do with us?"  
  
She went to the couch and laid down, crossing her legs over themselves and laying her head on her outstretched arm. Chris would love to take a picture of this and keep it for safe-keeping. It would sure do wonders for him when he was feeling lonely.  
  
"Oh you know, this and that," she said nonchalantly.  
  
"Stephanie?"  
  
"Fine, you are going to come on to her every chance you get."  
  
"Hey! Wait a second! She should be the one coming on to me," he told her, "Make her come on to me."  
  
"But Chris," she whined, "I didn't get anything to warrant you getting the upper-hand."  
  
"And just what do you want?" he asked, knowing it was something stupid or lustful or some other nonsense.  
  
She beckoned him with her finger and he came over to stand up next to her on the couch. He looked down annoyed and could only imagine what was coming next. She knelt up on the couch and she was eye level with his chest. She put both of her hands on the side of his boxers gripping the elastic and looked up at him teasingly.  
  
"Stephanie," he warned, "Don't fucking toy with me."  
  
"Who's toying?"  
  
A knock came on the door and then a voice, "Yo Jericho, is Stephanie in there with you?"  
  
"Shit," Stephanie hissed, recognizing Hunter's voice.  
  
"Fuck, great," Chris said, rushing over to grab Stephanie's clothes off the ground and shoving them in her arms, "The bathroom."  
  
She ran into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Chris quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and checked himself over to make sure he didn't look suspicious. As he finished that task he opened the door and was greeted by the sight of Stephanie's boyfriend.  
  
"Hey Hunter, what do you want?"  
  
"Do you know where Stephanie is? I figure if anyone does, it's you."  
  
"Now why is that?" Chris asked, tilting his head curiously.  
  
"Jericho, you know you're friends with her ok? I don't like it anymore than anyone else, but until I get her away from the likes of you, I'm stuck, so where the fuck is she?" Hunter said, getting annoyed.  
  
"I don't know ok."  
  
"Oh, you don't?" he asked disbelievingly.  
  
"No, you know, this might be a concept for you, but she's her own person and she's allowed to go off by herself, she doesn't need to tell someone she's going somewhere, but if you're that concerned, maybe you should keep tabs on your girlfriend. Or better yet, maybe she's trying to get away from you because she doesn't like you, ever think of that genius?"  
  
"You know, it's sad. You hang around Stephanie thinking one day she's going to offer her body up to you. But that's not going to happen Jericho. You can try to woo her away from me all you want, but it ain't happening."  
  
"Hello numbskull, if I wanted Stephanie, I could have her, trust me."  
  
"Sure," Hunter said, walking away, "Keep dreaming."  
  
Jericho slammed the door shut. That was the one man who could get to him. The one man who got under his skin. Everyone else, he didn't care about, they could go fuck themselves for all he cared, but Hunter, Hunter was the fucking thorn in his side. And it pissed him off to no end.  
  
"You handled that well," Stephanie said, coming out of the bathroom fully clothed.  
  
"I hate him you know."  
  
"You hate him because he's right," Stephanie egged him on.  
  
"Stephanie, if I wanted, I could sleep with you on this very couch."  
  
"Sure Chris," she said, kissing him on the cheek, "I'm going to go talk to Dawn Marie."  
  
"Want me to tag along?"  
  
"No, you don't have to, but if you want to, be my guest."  
  
"No, you go do the dirty work alone."  
  
"As you wish."  
  
Stephanie walked out and straightened out her shirt. She had to admit it was fun teasing Chris, but he never took the bait, unlike every other guy in the entire world. She walked into Edge's locker room and found him and Dawn Marie making out on the couch. She made a sick face and then cleared her throat.  
  
"Don't you knock?" Edge said snottily.  
  
"Um, I own you Edge, I don't have to knock," Stephanie answered, giving him a fake smile.  
  
"You love getting off on power don't you?" Dawn Marie said.  
  
"No Dawnie, she loves getting off on Jericho," Edge told her.  
  
Stephanie gave him a dirty look, "Oh my, wow, was that a crack towards me and Chris? Oh, so funny. I mean, you see Chris and I are friends and then you insinuate that we're sleeping together. Where did you get the idea for that stinger?"  
  
"What the fuck do you want Stephanie?" Edge said, getting more annoyed.  
  
"Oh well, I have storyline news," Stephanie said, clapping her hands in false excitement, "And it's oh so good."  
  
"Great, you know it's going to suck," Dawn Marie said, leaning against Edge, "What is it this time Stephanie? Is Edge going to have to fall off a cage again, or have to go through another humiliating thing because he's feuding with your fucktoy?"  
  
"Oh no, I'm not here for Edge," Stephanie said sickeningly sweet, "I'm here for you Dawn."  
  
"Stephanie, if you have her fucking do anything that will put her in jeopardy, I swear to God..." Edge threatened, standing up and getting in her face.  
  
"Calm down," she told him, "I promise she's not in harm's way. She's going to be Chris's valet."  
  
"NO FUCKING WAY!" Edge screamed.  
  
"Sorry Edge, you don't have a say in this. Dawn, next show you'll officially debut on Chris's side. I hope that you'll be a model valet for him. We'll discuss further...advances in the storyline at a later date."  
  
"Stephanie, there's no fucking way I'm letting you do this," Edge told her with poison in his voice.  
  
"Are you threatening me?" Stephanie asked, on the verge of laughter.  
  
"You think you can fucking get away with everything don't you? You and Chris, you just go around acting like you're the fucking top of the heap."  
  
Stephanie's eyes narrowed and she felt her breath quicken. She planted her trademark smirk on her face and stood tall. She walked straight up to Edge and looked him dead in the eye. No one talked back to her.  
  
"Listen here, and you listen good. Don't fuck with me. I can make your life a living hell and don't think I won't do it. You don't know what I am capable of, and if you're smart you won't try to find out," she said coolly, belying the anger she had just shown.  
  
She turned on her heel and walked to the door, "Bye you two, have fun."  
  
Edge swallowed the bile rising up in his throat. Dawn put a placating arm on his, trying to calm him down. Chris and Stephanie were always trying to cause trouble and they never got their comeuppance. It was really too bad that Chris had fallen in with her, he used to be such a nice guy.  
  
"One of these days they are going to get what's coming to them." 


	3. Chapter 3

"So Dawn you ready to go out there?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Of course you are, you're going to love it," Chris said, putting his arm around her shoulders.  
  
She shrugged him off, "I'm only doing this because I'm forced to."  
  
"Oh come on, you know a little bitty part of you wants me."  
  
"Shut up," she said brusquely.  
  
"Don't you dare touch my girl!"  
  
Chris looked up and saw Edge coming out from some dark corner or something. Geez, what had he been doing, spying on the two of them? Like he'd actually try to go for Dawn Marie. He could do ten thousand times better than her. And who was ten thousand times better...  
  
"Oh good, you two are already here," Stephanie said, walking over.  
  
"Speak of the devil," Chris said, "I was just thinking about you Stephanie."  
  
"Oh, how cute of you," she said, smiling at her friend.  
  
"Devil? That's a pretty accurate description," Edge muttered, crossing his arms, not wanting to be around the both of them at once. They were bad when they were apart, almost unbearable when they were together.  
  
"Ooh, I'm so scary," Stephanie said, teasing him by making devil horns with her fingers.  
  
Chris laughed hardily, "Oh Stephanie, you never fail to make me laugh."  
  
"Of course not, you can't resist me," she told him proudly, coming over to stand in front of him.  
  
She turned her back to him and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her shoulders and leaned his head off to the side of hers. The two of them were always touchy feely with each other and that fact never escaped any of the other wrestlers. They all figured the two of them were having an affair, which was simply not true.  
  
"You know, you two should be thankful that I put Dawn with Chris," Stephanie said to them.  
  
"Oh really, why is that?" Edge said sarcastically.  
  
"Well, look on the bright side, she gets to be out there for your match."  
  
"Yeah, on the other side," Dawn said snottily.  
  
"But you're out there aren't you?" Chris said, leaning his chin on Stephanie's shoulder.  
  
"You know Chris," Edge started, "You used to be so much cooler you know? I don't know why you gave that all up for her."  
  
"Gave what up exactly?" Chris said, "A boring, mundane existence."  
  
"You had tons of friends, everyone liked you," Dawn added.  
  
"I like him," Stephanie said, turning her head to smirk up at Chris.  
  
"And that's all that matters," Chris said, "Maybe you two should wise up. I'm better off with Stephanie now. She's the best friend a guy could possibly have."  
  
"Yeah, because she spreads her legs for him," Dawn whispered to Edge.  
  
Chris and Stephanie could both hear the whispered comment to Edge, and his subsequent chuckle. She looked up at him and gave him a devilish grin. Chris could only imagine what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. He gave her a slight nod, telling her silently that whatever she wanted to do he would be on board with it.  
  
"What was that Dawn?" Stephanie said sweetly, "I don't think I heard clearly."  
  
"Nothing," Dawn told her as Edge continued to laugh.  
  
Stephanie checked her watch, "Oh, would you look at that, you're match is up next."  
  
"Oh, so it is," Chris interjected.  
  
"You know what?" Stephanie said, as if an idea had just popped up in her brain.  
  
"What Stephanie?" Chris asked, pretending to be surprised, but really just playing along with her game.  
  
"I just had a great idea!" she exclaimed.  
  
Edge and Dawn looked at her wearily. They knew what she was capable of, and sometimes it just wasn't pretty. Everyone knew that if you got on their bad side, you were in for it. Hell, even if you weren't on their bad side, you were in for it. They simply loved toying with people for the fun of it.  
  
"Do tell!" Chris said happily.  
  
"After the match, Dawn, you should come into the ring and kiss Chris, since you know, he's winning and all," she said with a bright smile on her face.  
  
"What!?!" Dawn said, her jaw dropping, "I have to kiss him!?!"  
  
"I didn't stutter, did I? You heard me."  
  
"Fuck!" Edge yelled, "Why do you two have to fucking control everything huh? Why do you want to make people's lives miserable?"  
  
Chris and Stephanie looked at each other, as if contemplating the fact. It wasn't that they enjoyed watching people suffer, but they loved the power they knew they had over people. It was really rewarding to see people groveling in front of them.  
  
"We make people's lives miserable?" Stephanie said, hand over heart, gasping in mock surprise.  
  
"You two are just horrible human beings," Dawn said, "You feed off the misery of others."  
  
"Am I really that repulsive to kiss?" Chris asked, joking to Stephanie.  
  
Stephanie turned around to face him and ran her hand languidly down the side of his face. She leaned in and leaned in, until she was mere inches away from his mouth. Chris knew that Edge and Dawn were probably watching, hoping that as soon as Stephanie's lips touched his, they would be able to run off and tattle to Hunter. But of course, at the very last moment as Chris could feel Stephanie's breath upon his own mouth, she pulled away and looked at Edge and Dawn.  
  
"I wouldn't know," she told them, "But pretty soon Dawn will."  
  
Dawn scowled as Edge's music started to play. He gave Chris and Stephanie a scornful glare, then quickly kissed Dawn as he walked out onto the ramp. Dawn looked a little apprehensive being left alone with the two of them. As soon as Edge was down to the ring, Chris's music went off, and he gallantly offered his arm to Dawn, which she refused. He laughed and gave Stephanie a wink as he went out for his match.  
  
Stephanie stood by the gorilla, watching on the monitor. She could tell by looking at Dawn that she was not pleased to be rooting for Chris. She had to give a little laugh at that. As Stephanie was watching, she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist and she felt herself get pulled against the man protectively.  
  
"Baby, let's go back to our locker room," Hunter said, kissing her neck.  
  
"I'm watching."  
  
"You can watch in there."  
  
"But you'll want to do other stuff, and then I won't be able to watch."  
  
"Why do you care so much?" Hunter asked, not really asking about the match, but asking why she cared so much about Chris.  
  
Stephanie stared at the screen for a moment, watching as Chris gave Edge a bulldog, "I just like to watch Chris's matches."  
  
"Come on, you can miss one," Hunter said, kissing her neck some more, "I never get to see you."  
  
She turned around briefly, "You see me all the time."  
  
"So, I want to see you more."  
  
"What are you getting at Hunter?" she asked impatiently, crossing her arms underneath her breasts.  
  
"I want you to move in with me."  
  
For once, it was Stephanie who was in shock. She hadn't expected that to come out of his mouth. She honestly thought he just wanted more sex, which would have been easy for her to comply with. But moving in together? They had been going out for eight months, but moving in together, that was a whole other level.  
  
"Hunter, I mean, I don't know."  
  
"Come on," he said, grabbing her hands, "I want you to live with me, I want to see your face when I wake up in the morning and when I go to sleep at night."  
  
Stephanie almost gagged at the utter cheesiness that statement afforded her. If he had said something more realistic she wouldn't have laughed, but hearing that, she burst out laughing, much to Hunter's bewilderment. She clutched her stomach from laughing so hard.  
  
"What's so funny?" he asked.  
  
She tried to contain her laughter, "Nothing, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh."  
  
"So please, move in with me?" he asked nicely.  
  
Stephanie didn't know what to say. Luckily for her, Chris came bounding down the steps at that moment. He smiled and opened his arms to her. Glad for the interruption, she ran over to him and gave him a huge hug, despite being sweaty from his match.  
  
"So how was I?"  
  
"I didn't really get to watch," she said, "Um, Hunter was here."  
  
"Oh," Chris said, a little disappointed, "Hey Trips."  
  
"If you'll excuse us Jericho, we were discussing something," Hunter said coldly.  
  
"Well, it must not have been important if Stephanie would rather come see me than talk to you," Chris shot back.  
  
"Hunter, I'll be with you in a minute ok? I really need to talk to Chris. Just go back to the locker room."  
  
"Why are you always going off with him?" Hunter asked.  
  
"No reason, he's my friend, I want to talk to him!" she said irately.  
  
"Fine, see ya," he said, walking off with a frown on his face.  
  
"God, why do you stay with that asshole?"  
  
"Because...I love him," she said, grabbing Chris's hand, "But we need to talk NOW!"  
  
"But I want to talk to Edge and Dawn. I slipped her the tongue during our kiss, it was great seeing Edge's face," Chris chuckled.  
  
"I'm sure it was, we need to talk," she repeated, dragging him towards his dressing room.  
  
"Whoa, this must be serious if you can't even stop to talk about one of our little schemes," he said.  
  
"It is," she said, practically throwing him into his locker room.  
  
He stumbled inside and sat on the couch, looking up at her, wondering what could have gotten her so spooked. Stephanie wasn't the type of woman who could easily be surprised. He half expected this to be one of her ploys and for her to turn around and pretend to seduce him.  
  
But when she turned around and started pacing the length of the room, he knew that something was wrong with her. He folded his arms and looked at her. He had never seen her like this. Had something happened with Hunter? If he had touched her, he would kill him.  
  
"Stephanie?"  
  
"Chris, something horrible has happened," she said, turning to face him.  
  
"What? What is horrible enough to happen to mar that beautiful face?"  
  
"Hunter," she said, sitting heavily down in a chair, which was very unusual for her, considering she never slouched.  
  
"Did he do something to you?" Chris asked suspiciously.  
  
"He asked me to move in with him," she mumbled.  
  
"Shit," Chris said, "No wonder you're freaked."  
  
She looked at him with a smile on her face. She always knew that Chris would understand where she was coming from. She got up and went over to him slowly. She sat down in his lap and threw one leg over his and straddled him. She leaned in and laid her head against his chest.  
  
"Don't do it Stephanie."  
  
"He loves me Chris."  
  
"Are you having a human moment, I don't like it," he told her.  
  
"I hate it, but it's here and I can't stop it from happening."  
  
Just then, Hunter walked in, "What the fuck is going on here?"  
  
Stephanie quickly got off of Chris's lap, "We were talking."  
  
"Oh, and talking to you requires that you fucking straddle him like you two are going to fuck!?"  
  
"No!" she protested, "We were just sitting here!"  
  
"Come on," Hunter said, grabbing her arm, "Let's go."  
  
"Don't you fucking pull me," Stephanie said, getting out of his grasp using some force.  
  
"Stephanie, I don't like you hanging around him."  
  
"And I don't give a flying fuck what you think, I can and will hang out with whoever the hell I want to."  
  
"Fine, you know what, I take back the invitation," he snarled.  
  
Stephanie shook her hair out a little and put on her cool face. She walked right up at him and stared him straight in the eye. He found himself mesmerized by the blue of her eyes. She kissed him softly, and all the anger he felt melted away.  
  
"That's too bad, because I was going to say yes," she told him huskily.  
  
Chris looked down in an attempt not to let out a stream of laughter. Stephanie always knew how to get what she wanted. She was so wily sometimes he amazed her. She was quite the woman.  
  
"I'm sorry Stephanie, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions with you and Chris."  
  
"Oh, I forgive you, now let's go have some fun," she said, giggling at him.  
  
She linked her arm through Hunter's and proceeded to walk out. She turned and gave a smirk to Chris, and he couldn't help but grin at her. He had to hand it to her, she had really gotten herself out of that one. They walked out and he watched as she closed the door.  
  
"What a woman." 


	4. Chapter 4

~THREE MONTHS PRIOR~  
  
Chris walked out of his dressing room, wondering who he could go hang out with. He was bored sitting all alone in his dressing room. He walked down the hallway, nodding at various co-workers. Everyone had a friendly smile towards him and he was pretty psyched about his match later on. Now, he just had to go find out who would win between him and Hunter.  
  
"Hey man," RVD said, approaching Chris from the front.  
  
"Hey, what's up?"  
  
"Nothing," RVD said coolly, "Just waiting around for my match to start."  
  
"Who you facing again?"  
  
"Christian."  
  
"Cool, good luck with that," Chris told him.  
  
"Yeah," RVD nodded, "It should be cool, I mean I am in it right?"  
  
Chris just laughed, "I was just about to go find out who's winning in my match tonight with Hunter."  
  
"Ahh, ten bucks says it's not you," RVD joked, though it was tempered with the truth. Everyone knew that Hunter was getting played as the favorite of the McMahon family.  
  
"That's a sure thing if I ever heard it," Chris said, rolling his eyes, "I'm sure little Miss Stephanie had something to do with that. Since the two seem to be joined at the hip."  
  
It wasn't that Chris hated Stephanie, it's just everyone knew she always got her way. Her father doted on her, her mother babied her, and her brother protected her fiercely. And now that she was with Hunter, she had him wrapped around her little finger, and as a reward for that, he was on the best winning streak of his life.  
  
"See you later then," RVD said waving as he walked off.  
  
"Yeah, later," Chris echoed.  
  
He started walking down to the production table when he felt to feminine arms wrap around his waist. He looked to his side and saw Victoria smiling up at him. He shook his head and laughed. She was always sneaking up on all the guys and giggling, like she was now.  
  
"What's up Vic?" Chris asked, walking alongside her.  
  
"Just wanted to come see one of my favorite boys," she grinned, "Where ya headed?"  
  
"Production, they have the schedule and I want to see who's winning in my match," he explained.  
  
"Cool, I'll come with," she told him.  
  
"Fine with me."  
  
Together, they walked down to production and Chris grabbed the program, the one that told the matches and who was winning in them. His match against Hunter was one of the main events, and it was for the World title, so he was fully expecting to lose, but much to his surprise he wasn't. There in Stephanie's neat, precise handwriting was his name. Chris looked at Victoria, who looked surprised by what they had just read.  
  
"You're winning!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Wow," Chris said, not expecting to come out the winner.  
  
"That's great, I wonder why no one told you."  
  
"No idea," Chris said, looking down at the sheet again, "Maybe they didn't decide until late."  
  
"Possibly. But this is great," she said, kissing his cheek.  
  
He smiled, "You know, it is. It's about time I got the gold."  
  
"You are so right," she said, before seeing Steven Richards gesturing that they had their match next, "Oops, gotta go Chris, I'm beating Trish tonight."  
  
"Great, good luck," he said, kissing her forehead.  
  
"Thanks," she said, jogging over to her partner for the evening.  
  
Chris decided he might as well iron out the details for his match later on. He was still a little surprised that he was winning against Hunter of all people. He guessed they were tired of having the belt on Hunter, he had had it for an awful long while. The people wanted to see someone new holding that big, gold belt. And nobody was a better candidate than him.  
  
He walked up to Hunter's locker room and not bothering to knock, walked inside. Nobody really knocked around here, unless it was one of the guys knocking on the girl's locker room. He didn't realize that Hunter wasn't there until moments after the door clicked behind him. He did however notice the topless Stephanie dressing in the middle of the room. She squealed and covered her breasts, not wanting him to get a free show. He turned around quickly, embarrassed.  
  
"Oh my God, Stephanie I am SO sorry!" he exclaimed, blushing madly.  
  
"Why didn't you knock!?!" she yelled.  
  
"I didn't know. I thought it was just Hunter in here," he told her.  
  
"But you know we share!"  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry. I didn't really see anything, if it's any consolation."  
  
She laughed loudly, turning to put her bra on, "It's ok, even if you did see something."  
  
"Ok, if you don't care, I did see your tits," he laughed.  
  
"I figured as much. You can turn around now," she said as she clasped her bra in the back.  
  
He turned around then quickly turned back towards the wall, "You're still in your underwear."  
  
"Yeah, so? It doesn't matter. Don't tell me you're too much of a gentlemen to look at me in my skivvies," she giggled.  
  
He turned back around and looked at her. She really was a sight. She was dressed in some lacy underwear, both black. Her hair was pulled back, but a few strands had fallen into her face, making her look seductive. Chris didn't realize he was blatantly staring at her, taking her all in.  
  
Stephanie, however, did notice. She had never realized that she could get this kind of reaction from Chris Jericho. He never seemed like he liked her all that much. It kind of felt nice to have someone besides Hunter notice her. She had a sneaking suspicion most of the roster only viewed her at as the boss's daughter. Deciding to have a little fun with Chris, she walked slowly over to him.  
  
"Like what you see?" she asked, raising a delicate eyebrow.  
  
Chris snapped out of it, "Sorry, didn't mean to stare."  
  
"It's ok. I appreciate the attention," she smiled, "So why exactly did you barge into the room?"  
  
"Oh, well, I wanted to talk about my match with your boyfriend," Chris said, sitting himself down on the couch, and making himself comfortable.  
  
"Oh yes, you're winning," she said while putting on a short skirt.  
  
"Yeah, I was actually surprised by that. Care to shed some light on that one for me, considering you are on creative."  
  
"It's about time we gave someone else a chance to hold the belt," she shrugged, "Hunter's had it long enough in my opinion."  
  
"But you're the one who got it for him in the first place."  
  
"I don't delude myself into thinking that he wanted to date me for the sole reason that he likes me," she shrugged, "I just gave it to him because I knew, ultimately, deep down, that's what he wanted from me."  
  
"Now come on," Chris said disbelievingly, "You can't honestly believe that?"  
  
"I can and do. You have to be careful who you get close to around these parts Chris. You never know who's in it to use you."  
  
"If I were with you, I'd never use you," Chris said.  
  
"Well thanks," she told him, grabbing a tank top and putting it on, "Hunter should be back soon, he just went to go eat and talk with the guys."  
  
"Why didn't you go along?"  
  
She smirked and Chris got a bit nervous. She was looking an awful lot like her character right now and that was a teensy bit scary. He didn't know quite what to expect from her, he didn't really know Stephanie all that well, she might be just like her character for all she knew.  
  
"I knew you would come here," she told him.  
  
"Ok," he said, befuddled, "So that doesn't explain anything."  
  
"I chose you Chris, to get the belt, I think you deserve it."  
  
"Thanks," he said, giving her a strained smile.  
  
"So now that I've done something good for you. You have to do something good for me."  
  
"I don't think I'm following you," he said, looking at her critically.  
  
"Let me interfere on your behalf," she said, turning to him.  
  
"But you're with Hunter."  
  
"Chris, I want to screw with him. I want to give him a false sense of security. I want to show him that he cannot push me around."  
  
"Has he done something to you?" Chris asked suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing except bored me to tears. He thinks that the guys are more important than me, and you know what Chris, I can't stand for that. He needs to know that he cannot and will not screw with me."  
  
"Ok," Chris said, suddenly wishing he hadn't come here, "And you want me to help you."  
  
Stephanie came and stood before him. He looked up at her curiously, "You liked what you saw earlier didn't you Chris?"  
  
He kept his mouth shut. This conversation had just taken a turn towards the weird. Sure he had liked what he saw. Stephanie was a beautiful woman and he'd be an idiot if he didn't think she was sexy as well. And from what he had seen, she was even sexier sans clothing.  
  
"No answer," she said, "Interesting. It's ok if you liked it Chris."  
  
"Sure, whatever," he said, just wanting to leave, but she was right in front of him.  
  
She bent down and came to him eye to eye, "We can make each other happy Chris."  
  
"Stephanie, I don't want to help you cheat on your boyfriend," he said quickly.  
  
She laughed out loud, not even quieting her voice, "I don't want to fuck you Chris, that is the farthest thing from my mind at the moment."  
  
"Oh," Chris said, slightly relieved. Key word being slightly, "Then what do you want?"  
  
She went over and locked the door before sitting on the coffee table in front of Chris. She weighed her words carefully, looking like she was trying to figure out the best way to put what she had to say. She opened her mouth to speak, but then went back to thinking. She had to put this in a way he'd understand.  
  
"We're all bad people on the inside," she started, "We all want to lie, cheat, steal, and wreak havoc. But most of us, we're too afraid to do it. We go around pretending that we're nice people, and that's not who we are. Not deep down inside. People like us Chris, we want to be bad, we want to take over the world and we'll squash everyone along the way to get to our goal. That's what makes us happy Chris, but you've been hiding underneath that good exterior, and I know it's killing you."  
  
"I'm a nice guy Stephanie, what can I say," Chris said to her, not wanting to admit that what she said made sense.  
  
"No you're not Chris Jericho. You are not as nice as you make yourself out to be," she said, putting her hands on his knees, "I see you out in the ring and I know that you want to just let it all out. I'm giving you that opportunity Chris."  
  
"By what?"  
  
"You let me interfere tonight Chris, and together we can rule the world," she told him, biting her lip.  
  
"It does sound tempting," he said, now that he thought about it, now that he felt her hands rubbing his legs gently.  
  
"I knew it would," she said, smiling evilly.  
  
"But you're using me," he told her, "And no one uses me, especially not you."  
  
Her smile turned into an all-out grin, "I'd never dream of using you."  
  
"We're partners in this, you hear me," he said, "I will not take orders from you or anything. If we're going to do this, we do it half way, each of us. I don't answer to you, you don't answer to me."  
  
"You know, you are so sexy when you get evil," she told him, running her hands up his chest.  
  
"Something tells me that you get playful when you scheme," he said, smirking himself.  
  
"Oh, you'll see Chris, you'll see," she whispered huskily, right in his ear.  
  
So he let her help that night, and the night after that, he and she schemed, plotted, did all the things that would gain them a horrible reputation. Chris continued to fall deeper and deeper in with Stephanie and she would just delight in his company, finally having a real, honest to God, like her for her, friend. While Chris's friends disappeared from his side, Stephanie appeared more and more by it.  
  
And so began their status as the two most hated people on the roster. 


	5. Chapter 5

"Chris, he's driving me fucking crazy!"  
  
Stephanie had just stormed into his dressing room while he had been trying to change. She always seemed to come in when he was changing, he was starting to think that she had hidden cameras and spied on him all the time. He looked at her and wondered what could possibly be bothering her this time.  
  
"Come to Chrissy and tell me what's the matter?" Chris said, sitting down on the couch and opening up his arms and lap to her.  
  
She smirked at him. He was looking awfully delectable sitting there. She giggled and sat down on his lap. He nuzzled his face into her neck, kissing it softly. She pushed him away and stuck her tongue out.  
  
"So what's the matter with the Princess now?"  
  
"He keeps goading me to move in with him!" she said, exasperated by Hunter.  
  
"So tell him no, or better yet dump him," Chris suggested.  
  
She shoved him, "You just want us to break up so that I'll fuck you senseless."  
  
"Like I couldn't get any girl I wanted."  
  
"You can't get me," she told him.  
  
"We'll see. But Stephanie, he isn't good for you and you know it. You need someone who has some fucking life. At least someone who doesn't take their work so seriously."  
  
"Hunter doesn't take his work too seriously, he did ask me to move in with him didn't he?"  
  
"Steph, he'd sell his soul if he could be title holder for the rest of his life."  
  
"This is the man I love you're talking about!"  
  
"Yes, and we're never going to agree on him, so let's drop it!" he shouted.  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"I hate you, you know that," Stephanie said, running her hands over his chest.  
  
"I know that you do," he said, "And that's why you're sitting on my lap most likely hoping that I'll get aroused so you can tease me into submission before saying that you are much too virtuous to fuck me."  
  
She simply laughed and stood up, looking down at him. She knew that he had her number, and knew exactly what she was up to. She paced the floor in front of him. Hunter would just not let up about moving in together. How could she dissuade him? She couldn't move in with him, that would be so final, and she needed her space, which Hunter always seemed to disregard.  
  
She stopped abruptly when she felt a hand on her bare knee, stopping her pacing. His hand slid up her thigh, until it reached the end of her short skirt. She looked at him, turning slightly. She dared him to go further with her eyes and he raised an eyebrow, accepting her challenge.  
  
He slid his hand up past her skirt, making it rise with his hand. He reached the top of her thong and pried one finger underneath the string fabric and was about to tease her even more when someone knocked on the door. Chris quickly took his hand off of her and walked to the door.  
  
"We've got a match," Kurt said from the other side.  
  
"Don't get your panties all in a bunch Angle," Jericho said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"You're not even dressed!" Kurt said disgusted, but then spotted Stephanie standing with her arms folded, "Oh, I should've guessed, you and your little girlfriend were having a little locker room fun."  
  
"Oh, is that what you think?" Jericho said.  
  
"It's what is, isn't it?" Kurt told them.  
  
"I'm not fucking him!" Stephanie shouted from behind Jericho.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm not an Olympic gold medallist," Kurt snapped, "Just get your ass dressed so I can go out and have my match."  
  
"Whatever," Jericho said.  
  
"Shut up you stupid mothe--"  
  
Jericho slammed the door in his face. Stephanie rolled her eyes and laughed. Kurt was too nice a guy. She had tried once to get him, but he was so damn kind and good, he was too much and she couldn't stand it. Stephanie sat down on the coffee table in the middle of the room and crossed her legs.  
  
"I need to get dressed," Jericho said, eyeing her.  
  
"So get dressed."  
  
"You know I'm about two seconds away from getting naked, I have a match."  
  
"So change," she said, challenging him.  
  
"Sweetheart, you know you can't wait to see the merchandise, but I'm not biting."  
  
"Oh, so it's ok for you to almost take my underwear off, but you can't take your own underwear off."  
  
"Seems about right."  
  
"Drop trou Chris," she said, grinning at him.  
  
He rolled his eyes and grabbed his wrestling attire, going into the bathroom. She loved to make him mad at her, he would get so cute while he was mad. She sat there until he came back out, ready for his match. She stood up as he went to the door.  
  
"Want me to walk you to your match?" she asked.  
  
"Nah," he said, slapping her ass, "You just keep your pretty face back here, gotta go out there and see that Dawn Marie feels as uncomfortable as possible."  
  
"Ok."  
  
He left and then she herself left. She was walking down the hallways and passed Brock. She winked at him, and he gave her an appreciative smile. He was so easy. He was probably the biggest idiot out of them all. A big, dumb lummox she thought to herself and laughed.  
  
She went to watch Chris's matches at the monitors. She always wanted to watch him close by, so she'd be the first thing he'd see when he got backstage. The match went on for a while and culminated in a very passionate kiss between Chris and Dawn Marie. She knew Chris was having fun with this and laughed to herself.  
  
"You know, it's not funny when you make other people's lives miserable."  
  
She turned around, "Oh, well thank you Mr. Morals, do you have time for another lesson?"  
  
"You don't know when to quit do you? You just keep pushing everyone's buttons, well one day everyone is going to push your buttons."  
  
"I'd like to see them try," she said to him.  
  
"You think Chris will protect you when the time comes for you to be protected?"  
  
"I have Hunter."  
  
"But you plot with Chris."  
  
"What I do with Chris is no one's business."  
  
"I know you're not fucking him, you think I don't know you better than that. But Stephy, your precious Chris will not save you when the time comes."  
  
"Nobody will ever get me like you say, nobody will ever do anything to me!"  
  
"Oh, is that what you think?"  
  
"What the fuck are you doing to her?" Chris said, storming up to them.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Chris, please make him go away," Stephanie said, hiding behind Chris.  
  
"Get the hell out of here," Chris warned.  
  
"Fine, but don't forget Stephanie, people hate you."  
  
"It's the way I like it Shane!"  
  
She watched her brother's retreating figure and pressed herself closer to Chris. Her brother, he was just like everyone else, and she hated him. And she knew he hated her, ever since she had inadvertently broken up his marriage. That really wasn't her fault, but Shane failed to see that. She hadn't meant to introduce his wife to a guy she would have an affair with.  
  
She remembered the words, the things Shane had said to her after it. He blamed her for it, even though it was not her fault. But he called her things, things that she had never repeated to anyone but Chris. Shane had sent her on a downward spiral, he had made her think that she was only out for blood. And like everything Shane ever told her, she believed him.  
  
"Hey, what happened?" Chris said, actual concern on his face.  
  
"Shane loves to get on my nerves," she said angrily.  
  
"I know, he didn't mention...that, did he?"  
  
"No," she said.  
  
"Good."  
  
He took her in his arms and she knew that he knew Shane was probably the only person that could ever make her feel like she wasn't invincible. She hated that feeling, like she wasn't in control. That's why she hated being around Shane.  
  
"You know, this is becoming all too common," Hunter's voice bellowed.  
  
"Oh get a life Trips," Chris said, giving him a dirty look.  
  
"Well, maybe when you stop pawing at my girlfriend like she was yours I would."  
  
"Pawing at your girlfriend? Because I'm hugging her."  
  
"If it isn't hugging, it's touching, if it isn't touching, it's looking, it's always something with you Chris."  
  
"Oh my God, take a chill pill or something."  
  
"Than stay the fuck away from my girlfriend."  
  
Chris let Stephanie go momentarily, "Oh that sounded like a threat, was that a threat?"  
  
"It can be whatever the hell you want it to be?" Hunter said, stepping up to him.  
  
"Hunter, let it go ok, Shane was just being Shane and I got mad," Stephanie said, stepping between the two men, "It's ok."  
  
"Ok," Hunter said, still looking at Chris.  
  
"See Trips, ya acted like an idiot for nothing."  
  
"Come on Hunter, we'll go back to our locker room," Stephanie said, linking her arm with his, "Bye Chris."  
  
"Bye," Chris said, throwing a look at Hunter before he went to his own dressing room.  
  
Stephanie walked with Hunter to their dressing room where she walked in and then locked the door. She practically threw Hunter on the couch and he looked up at her in disbelief.  
  
"How could you say that to him!?!"  
  
"What?" he asked, shocked that she was angry with him.  
  
"With Chris, you know he's my friend."  
  
"I know, but it doesn't mean that--"  
  
"Oh fuck it Hunter, you'll never get it," she said, storming out of the room.  
  
Hunter sat back. Stephanie was always around that jackass and he was getting sick and tired of it. So was everyone else it seemed. If there was only a way to get them away from each other. Then he would have Stephanie and she would be the old Stephanie again.  
  
Little did he know, people were planning their downfall as he sat there thinking. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Something has to be done about them two of them!"  
  
"No shit. But they have all the power," Kurt said, "I mean, Stephanie has Vince wrapped around her finger, and he would never believe his little Princess wasn't as sweet as she claimed to be."  
  
"I'm thinking, " Dawn said, "If we just get them away from each other, then they'll be considerably more tolerable."  
  
"But the question is how," Edge replied, "They're attached at the hip."  
  
"That's not the only way they're attached," Brock commented, causing the entire room to laugh.  
  
If you looked in the room and didn't know what was going down, you would simply think it was a bunch of friends hanging out with each other. But that was only to the naked eye. What was really going on was the makings of a scheme. A scheme to break Chris and Stephanie apart...forever.  
  
"You know, Chris used to be such a nice guy," Torrie mused.  
  
"I've always wondered how Stephanie managed to get her claws into him. It was like one day he was normal and the next he was an asshole," Christian said.  
  
"She probably offered herself up to him," Kurt said, "She's willing to do anything to get what she wants."  
  
"You know," Trish said, "I heard that Stephanie turned bitch after a huge blowout with Shane."  
  
"I've heard that too," Dawn added, "She probably did something horrible to him."  
  
"That's all well and good, but we need to figure a way to break them up, or else we'll all be miserable for the rest of the time we're with the company," Edge said, cutting into the chatter.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Make it look like a set-up," Brock said.  
  
"Make what look like a set-up?" Kurt asked, turning to the larger man.  
  
"Everything," he answered.  
  
Everyone looked at each other, not exactly getting this plan. What could look like a set-up? Chris and Stephanie were the only ones who ever knew what went on between them, despite the rumors that went around the locker room. Most of the rumors involved Chris and Stephanie being sexually involved, though they denied it all the time.  
  
"Explain please," Christian said.  
  
"We make it look like Stephanie has been using him all along."  
  
"You mean like she's been playing with him the entire time?" Edge asked.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Oh my God, Chris would NEVER stand for that!" Torrie exclaimed.  
  
"But how do we pull that off?" Trish asked, "They tell each other everything. There's no way they'd not figure it out."  
  
"We just have to be sneaky about it," Brock answered.  
  
"But how?"  
  
"Here's what I have in mind," Brock said.  
  
Everyone was on the edge of their seats, waiting for Brock to lay out this plan. They had to make it fool-proof or Stephanie and Chris would be sure to figure it out. They were smart people, much to everyone's dismay. Of course, if they were stupid people, they would've though of a way to get them apart by now.  
  
"Ok, here's what I'm thinking, "Brock started as everyone leaned in to listen, "I pretend to attack Stephanie, not physically, maybe like hit on her. But we make it obvious so Chris comes to her rescue."  
  
"That's sounds pretty good," Kurt commented, "But how does this break them up?"  
  
"Yeah, after he saves her, they'll probably go do it or something," Torrie laughed.  
  
"We get a fake confession from Stephanie," Brock said.  
  
"But Stephanie doesn't like any of us," Trish replied, "She'd never believe it!"  
  
"I think I can help with that," a new voice added.  
  
Everyone's head turned abruptly towards the door, fear on their faces. Hunter was leaning in the door framed, his arms crossed over his chest. He was smirking and everyone was thinking that they're cover had been blown. Edge stuttered, trying to think up an excuse. Hunter just laughed loudly and looked around the room.  
  
"I come in peace," he said.  
  
"What!?!" everyone exclaimed.  
  
"Do you think I like Stephanie hanging around with that asshole?"  
  
"I didn't think you cared," Dawn Marie said.  
  
"I love Stephanie," he said, a smile coming over his face, while everyone stared at him like he was crazy, "Well, the Stephanie she was before she got mixed up with Chris Jericho."  
  
"Well, we don't like who Chris has been since he started fraternizing with Stephanie," Kurt countered.  
  
"And that's why we're trying to break them up you guys," Edge said, stepping in.  
  
"So how are you going to help us?" Trish asked, continuing the conversation.  
  
"I can get the fake confession out of Stephanie," Hunter told them.  
  
"But how?"  
  
"You leave that to me," Hunter said, smirking secretively.  
  
"And after that we're home free," Kurt laughed.  
  
"Chris would hate her if he found out he had been using her," Christian commented, "He'd hate her guts."  
  
They all laughed as they ironed out their plane to bring down the most hated people in the entire company. Across town, in a trendy nightclub, Chris and Stephanie were having drinks and talking with each other.  
  
"I'm sorry Hunter's such a prick to you," she told him.  
  
"Why the hell are you defending him?" Chris demanded to know.  
  
"He's my boyfriend!"  
  
"You are much too good for him," he said, running his hand slowly down her cheek.  
  
"Because you're better?" she said, pushing his hand away from her face.  
  
"Be careful Princess, you may trust him, but I don't."  
  
"He doesn't hate ME Chris," she told him, smirking evilly.  
  
"He's just fucking jealous of me," Chris spat out.  
  
"Why would he be jealous of you? He has me!"  
  
"The world doesn't revolve around her," he informed her. She pretended to be shocked by the information.  
  
"Yours does," she flirted.  
  
He smiled smoothly, "Only because you wouldn't want it any other way."  
  
"Oh I don't?"  
  
"No, you want my nose to be permanently attached to your ass."  
  
"Kinky Chris," she said as he rolled his eyes, "But maybe later."  
  
"I knew you were kinky Steph. That's not news to me."  
  
"Oh, but you have no idea what I'm like in the bedroom."  
  
"I can only imagine."  
  
Stephanie got out of her seat and grabbed Chris's arm, dragging him onto the dance floor. He tried to resist, but she was insistent. Not only was she insistent, she was bending over slightly and he could see straight down her shirt. He was definitely appreciating the view.  
  
She took him to the middle of the dance floor and she began to dance seductively around him, while he just stood there. She would rub up against him once and while and smile, knowing exactly what she was doing. He just stood there, rolling his eyes at her attempts to seduce him.  
  
"Dance Chris!" she yelled over the crowd noise.  
  
"I don't dance!" he yelled back.  
  
The loud, thumping music stopped, being replaced by a semi-slow song. Stephanie raised an eyebrow and looked at Chris. This kind of dancing, she knew he knew how to do. He pulled her tight against him and she looked up into his eyes, which were twinkling with the blue lights flashing around the room. It was the first time she had ever been enchanted by him.  
  
"What the fuck is your problem?" he asked, shaking her out of her trance.  
  
"What the fuck are you talking about?"  
  
"You were staring at me like I was a fucking alien or something."  
  
"I was just admiring those beautiful eyes of yours," she said as they started dancing, none to nicely either. She reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of his face.  
  
"You are too much Stephanie McMahon," he told her, brushing her hair away from her neck, "If you want to be a tease, find someone who isn't on to you."  
  
"Oh, so you're on me?"  
  
Chris laughed at how she had conveniently left out a key word, "No Steph, I'm not on you, I let Hunter take care of that aspect."  
  
"Much to your disdain," she said, rubbing her upper thigh against the front of his pants.  
  
Chris leaned in close so that his lips were millimeters away from her neck, his soft breath warm on her body, "You need to stop with the teasing baby, cause it ain't going to work."  
  
She took her leg away from him and licked her lips, making sure she saw him do it. They were so much alike and sometimes it bugged her. They knew what the other was thinking before they thought it. It was a blessing and a curse that they had found each other. There would be no manipulation in this relationship.  
  
"I need to check my makeup," she announced, "Be back soon."  
  
Chris nodded and went back to sit at the table they had been occupying. There was a cute blonde eyeing him from the bar and he gave them a charming smile and she stood up. Chris watched her saunter over and gave her a once over. She smiled and sat down across from him.  
  
"Hey," she said.  
  
"Hello to you," he replied, "I'm Chris."  
  
"Blaine," she said, sticking her well manicured out for him to shake. He shook it, a smirk on his lips the entire time. Tonight was looking up, "I hope it's not too forward of me to just approach you like this."  
  
"Not at all, approach all you want," he said, grinning at her.  
  
"Good, I couldn't help but notice you're the cutest guy in here tonight."  
  
"I'm the cutest guy everywhere I go," he winked.  
  
She laughed airily and he grinned even wider at her, turning on his charm. Suddenly he felt two hands come from behind him and run down his chest. He looked up and saw Stephanie standing behind him, her gaze fixed on Blaine and a sour expression on her face. Chris raised an eyebrow, could it be jealousy he was detecting on the fair Stephanie's face? He laughed softly and decided to see where Stephanie was going with this.  
  
"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Stephanie asked.  
  
"I was just talking to this lovely lady," Chris said, smiling at Blaine, who was eyeing Stephanie with a bit of trepidation.  
  
"Oh, baby, you know I hate when you do this," she said in a sing-song voice.  
  
"And what's that sweetcheeks?" he said, gazing up at her.  
  
She leaned down and pressed her cheek to Chris's, kissing his cheek softly, "When you try to make me jealous."  
  
"Oh, I didn't know you were with someone," Blaine said, quickly getting up and walking away.  
  
Stephanie pulled away and stood up, straightening her shirt. She walked around Chris and sat down in the seat that Blaine had just been occupied. She gave Chris a smile before taking a sip of her martini. Chris just glared at her.  
  
"Why'd you do that? I was about to get me some," he said, drinking his drink.  
  
"Felt like it," she shrugged, "And besides, you can do better."  
  
"Oh, well thanks, now I won't be getting any tonight."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry Chris, but it was my understanding that you came here with me tonight. Were you going to leave me high and dry if you went off with that slut over there?"  
  
"You know I'd never leave you high and dry, but well, if I could've got me some, I would've liked to."  
  
"If you want some, look no further," she said.  
  
"Shut up," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the place, "I want to go back to the hotel."  
  
"But I was having fun," she whined.  
  
"Go have fun with your boyfriend."  
  
She rolled her eyes, knowing that he was angry she had spoiled his evening. As soon as they were outside and walking down the sidewalk, she stopped him with her arm. He looked at her, a disinterested look on his face. She pouted up at him and gave him her most pathetic, apologetic look. He shook his head and hugged her to him.  
  
"You know I can't stay mad at you," he said grudgingly.  
  
"Because I'm your only friend?" she giggled playfully.  
  
"Well that and you are not the type of person I want to be on the bad side of," he told her as he rested his hands on her ass.  
  
"Gonna keep your hands there?" she asked as they walked to their car.  
  
"As long as you'll let me."  
  
They got to their car and went to the hotel, parting ways in the elevator. Stephanie gave him a lingering look as the elevator doors shut. She tossed her hair back and walked down the long hallway until she got to her and Hunter's room. She opened the door using her key and walked inside. Hunter was sitting on the couch, a steely gaze on his face. Stephanie looked down at her watch and realized it was almost two in the morning.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?" Hunter asked.  
  
Stephanie set her things down and started to undress, "I was out, no biggie."  
  
"With him right?"  
  
"Yeah, I was out with CHRIS, what's it to you?"  
  
"So you'd rather spend time with him than with me?"  
  
Stephanie looked over at Hunter and sighed. Sometimes she had to put so much work into keeping Hunter happy. He was always going off about Chris, and she would always have to calm him down. She went over to him and sat down in his lap, rubbing his temples softly.  
  
"Baby, I would always love to spend time with you," she whispered, "But you know how angry I was at you earlier. You're lucky that I came back after you were so mean to me."  
  
"Oh, you were upset," he said, staring into her eyes.  
  
"You were so mean," she said batting her eyelashes.  
  
"I love you," he said, hugging her to him.  
  
"I love you too," she said, a smirk coming over her face at how smooth she was.  
  
Little did she know that Hunter had a smirk on his own face. 


	7. Chapter 7

"So then you're going to face Brock."  
  
"Why Brock?"  
  
"I don't know, ask my dad," Stephanie said, sticking a pencil behind her ear, "He's the one who signed off the match."  
  
"So who's winning?"  
  
"You are," she said, "I have my way of turning matches the way that I want to see them."  
  
"So will Dawn be interfering?"  
  
"Yeah," Stephanie answered, looking at some papers, "I don't know why you should be facing Brock, you'd think you'd have something to do with Edge."  
  
"Maybe your dad is setting up something," Chris said, sitting down on the couch next to her.  
  
"Well, whatever it is, I'm not liking it too much, and I just may have to put a stop to it."  
  
"Why don't you set something up with the two of us?" Chris said, leaning over to lean his head on her shoulder. She pushed him off carelessly.  
  
"Get off me," she said snidely.  
  
"Why?" he asked, rubbing her knee.  
  
"If Hunter walks in here...."  
  
"You'll appease him somehow, just like you always do."  
  
"I think he's at the end of his rope, so it's better if he doesn't catch us in any compromising positions," she told him.  
  
"Damn, well, tell him to fuck off then," he said, "You really should find someone new. I mean, it's obvious you can do better."  
  
"Maybe I don't wanna do better," she said, scooting over as Chris scoot closer to her.  
  
"What's your problem tonight?" Chris asked, sensing some tension between the two of them.  
  
Stephanie looked at him. She didn't want to alienate him because he was her only friend. Not that she cared she had no friends, she just knew that if Chris hated her, than she would only have Hunter. That thought didn't settle to well with her. She decided to make it up to Chris.  
  
She leaned over and kissed his cheek softly, so softly he could barely feel it, "I'm sorry, I'm not having a problem."  
  
"I guess," he said, running his finger down her neck and down her blouse, "But if you do have a problem, I'm sure I can help fix it."  
  
"I'm sure you'd love to," she said, flicking his finger away, "But your match is coming up so you better get out there."  
  
"Oh yeah," Chris said, getting up, "Wish me luck."  
  
"You don't need it."  
  
"I know," he winked, then walked out of the room.  
  
Stephanie leaned back on the couch, thinking, debating whether or not she should go watch Chris's match from the gorilla. Hunter seemed especially testy around her lately, and she could only draw the conclusion that he was upset with all the time she spent with Chris. She felt he should be grateful that she wasn't always in her hair, but she guessed he didn't see it like that. She didn't like being all nice about Hunter, but she loved him, she did.  
  
She decided to fuck what Hunter thought and got up from the couch. If he didn't like her being friends with Chris, than too bad for him. She wasn't going to let some guy get the better of her. If she wanted to go somewhere, she wasn't going to let someone tell her she couldn't. She walked down to the gorilla and proceeded to watch Chris's match. He eventually won and she decided to go find Hunter, just to let him know she was thinking of him, even though she wasn't.  
  
She was walking down the hallway when she heard someone jogging up behind her. She knew it was probably Chris, and put a little swing in her hips to tease him just a little bit. She felt his presence right next to her and she smirked as she looked down.  
  
"It's about time you caught up to me," she said softly.  
  
"Really?"  
  
Stephanie whipped her head around as she realized the voice did not belong to Chris. She stopped as she looked at Brock. Why would he want to talk to her? She had never had a conversation with the man, except to tell him what he was doing on the show. Sure, she gave him some flirty smiles every now and again, but she did that with most guys.  
  
"Brock," she said silkily, "What do you want?"  
  
"To talk to you," he said, smiling at her.  
  
"Ok, talk," she said, crossing her arms in front of her.  
  
"I've noticed you looking at me," he told her.  
  
She gave him a look. God, was he so dense he didn't realize she was flirting with him? She would have to shoot him down gently, then she laughed inwardly, or she could just shoot him down painfully. Yes, she liked that idea so much better. If only Chris were here to see her in action.  
  
"Oh really, and how have I been looking at you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Like you want something from me," he responded.  
  
"It's possible."  
  
Brock smirked, "I thought it might be."  
  
"You do know that I'm dating Hunter?"  
  
"I know, do you think I care?" he asked, giving her the once over.  
  
"Oh, I like a man who doesn't play by the rules," she said, leaning up against the wall and gazing at him.  
  
"I never have and don't plan to start now."  
  
"Interesting," she said, playing with her necklace.  
  
Brock smiled; this was going just as he had planned it to. She was always ready to flirt and this time it would come back to haunt her, he and his cohorts would make sure of that. Now it was time to turn off the charm and time to scare the little Princess. He leaned his hand on the wall above her and leaned in close to her.  
  
"So what do you say we go somewhere and have a little bit of fun."  
  
"Yeah, I'm going to have to say no to that, but thanks anyways," she said coyly, then pushing herself off the wall to walk away, but Brock wouldn't let her.  
  
"I don't think you understood me, I want to go have some fun."  
  
"Yeah, and I said no," she said firmly, "Now get out of my way."  
  
"I don't think so Princess, you're not going anywhere," he said seriously.  
  
"Oh, and what exactly are you going to do about it?" she said sarcastically.  
  
"I'm stronger than you are Stephanie, I can do whatever I want."  
  
"You wouldn't dare!" she spat.  
  
He grabbed her arm tight and she yelped in pain. She looked down to where he had a grasp on her arm and could see how tight he was holding it. She looked back up into his faces and his eyes were cold as he stared at her. She could feel his breath on her face, and she tried to shake him off of her arm, but it was to no avail, he wasn't letting up. She looked around but saw nobody.  
  
"Hel--" she tried yelling, but he covered her mouth with his free hand.  
  
"Scared now are we Stephanie?" he asked.  
  
She didn't want to look weak, that was the thing she hated the most, but staring into his eyes, she couldn't help it. She was terrified, even if she had yelled for help, there were only three people in the building who would actually help her: her father, Hunter, and Chris. Oh God, what she wouldn't give to have one of them come right now. She tried to stop her shaking, but she couldn't.  
  
"We're going to have fun Stephanie."  
  
She shook her head vehemently.  
  
He nodded, his smile turning evil, "It's not your decision to make."  
  
"Get your fucking hands off of her," Chris's voice interrupted.  
  
Brock turned to the side, "Well hello Chris."  
  
"I told you to let her go, or I will fucking pound your face in."  
  
Brock let her go, "We were just having a little bit of fun."  
  
Stephanie could feel tears in her eyes, and hated to feel them. She couldn't even look at Chris, she was so embarrassed. She was supposed to be this bitch and she couldn't even handle herself. God, she hated when she felt vulnerable, ever since Shane had killed her spirit, she had hated anything that had to do with feeling like she wasn't in control.  
  
"Get out of here," Chris said to Brock.  
  
Brock held up both his hands, "Whatever you say."  
  
He walked away and Chris looked at Stephanie. She was looking down and rubbing her arm where Brock had been grabbing it. He walked over to her and looked at her arm, it was already starting to bruise. He cursed under his breath for not getting to her sooner. She was still looking down and he wanted to go kill Brock.  
  
"You ok?" he said simply, knowing she hated sympathy.  
  
"I'll be fine."  
  
"You want me to take you back to Hunter?" he asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what do you want?"  
  
"I just want to get out of here."  
  
"Stephanie, you know it's ok that you were scared," he told her, "It doesn't make you weak."  
  
"I wasn't scared," she said, looking up, and smirking at him, "I was never scared."  
  
She walked away and Chris just stared after her. He wouldn't go after her, no matter how much he wanted to. She hated when people felt sorry for her, and that's what he felt right now. Better to give her time to get this out of her system. He hated seeing her in anything but her bitchy mood.  
  
Stephanie stalked off to her dressing room. She was grateful that Chris had shown up, but suddenly she was thinking about how she could turn this to use it as an advantage. She bit her lip and started the waterworks. Yes, she could cry on cue, and she used it to her benefit. She was sobbing by the time she got in her dressing room. Hunter looked up, startled, and ran over to her.  
  
"Steph, what's the matter?" he asked, hoping that something had happened between her and Chris.  
  
"Where were you!?!" she shouted.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
"Brock, he practically attacked me and you were nowhere to be found!"  
  
Hunter smirked, then quickly frowned. Good to know Brock had actually followed through with the plan, "Oh baby, I'm sorry."  
  
"Chris had to save me! Where the fuck were you when I needed you!?!"  
  
"I didn't know."  
  
"Like hell!" she yelled, "You should've come looking for me."  
  
"I thought you were with Chris," he said innocently.  
  
"He hurt me," she said, thrusting out her arm. Hunter could see an actual bruise. That hadn't been part of the plan. He'd have to talk to Brock about that later.  
  
"Oh baby I'm sorry."  
  
"You should be," she said, batting her eyelashes, "How are you going to make it up to me?"  
  
"I'll take care of you, I promise," he said, taking her in his arms again, "I promise."  
  
"You better."  
  
"Trust me Stephanie, pretty soon, I'll make sure everything is better." 


	8. Chapter 8

Stephanie was finding no comfort with Hunter.  He didn't even seem to care that she had been attacked earlier that evening.  She was seriously shaken up and he was sitting there, watching television.  Why didn't he even seem to care?  He was supposed to care about her and he wasn't even making sure she was alright.

She knew of someone who would care.  She glared at Hunter, angry that he was virtually ignoring her.  She went into the bedroom and grabbed the hotel phone.  She dialed Chris's room, hoping that he was there, and not fucking some chick.  The last thing she really needed was to hear all about what a nice piece of ass he had gotten.

"What?" Chris's irritated voice said over the line.

"Chris, it's me."

"Oh well then, what's up beautiful?" he asked, his voice becoming husky and deep.

"Do you want to go down to the lounge and get a drink or something?"

"It's late."

Stephanie bit her lip.  She didn't want to tell him that she was feeling particularly vulnerable at the moment.  She knew Chris understood her, but she was still hesitant to let him see her while she was like this.  Could she really let him see her when she was weak?

"Please," she pleaded, hating the tone of her voice.

Chris picked up on it immediately.  Something was obviously wrong, but her pride was keeping her from actually telling him what the problem was.  Maybe it was that asshole she was with.  That was probably it.

"I'll meet you in the lobby," he told her.

"Ok."

Stephanie hung up and went to her suitcase to change out of the slinky pajamas she had switched into earlier.  She walked out of the bedroom and looked over at Hunter, who's eyes were still glued to the television.  She stood there and glared at him, trying to get his attention.  When she saw it wasn't working, she cleared her throat loudly.  He finally turned and acknowledged her.

"I'm going out," she told him.

"Where?"

"Downstairs," she answered, "Don't wait up."

She turned around, reaching for the door.  She grabbed the doorknob just as she was grabbed on the arm.  She yelped in pain and pulled her arm away from his grasp.  She rubbed it gently, trying to assuage the pain, then glared at Hunter.

"You son of a bitch, that hurt!" she yelled.

"I'm sorry," he said contritely, "I forgot about your arm."

"It still hurt."

"I said I'm sorry," he told her testily, "Who are you going out with?"

"I'm not 'going out' with anyone."

"Fine, who are you meeting?" he clarified.

"I'm going to see Chris."

"Are you going to his bedroom?"

She huffed, "No!  We're meeting downstairs."

"Don't go………"

"What?"

"Come on, just stay with me."

"And get ignored some more?  No thanks."

She didn't want to hear anymore and left.  He would just ignore her more if she stayed.  She took the elevator down to the lobby and looked around.  Chris was sitting with his back to the elevator.  She walked up to him and started massaging his shoulders.

He looked up to see her, "About time you showed up."

"I got caught up."

"How?  Fucking the boyfriend."

"No," she said, "He was bugging me."

"Do you want to go somewhere more private?" he asked, looking at her face.

"Like where?"

"The coffee shop?" he said.

"Sure."

He got up and together they walked into the nearly deserted coffee shop.  They went to a booth in the far corner and sat down.  Stephanie unconsciously rubbed her arm, Hunter having really aggravated it.  Chris noticed her actions and his eyes narrowed.

"What's the matter with your arm?"

"Hunter just grabbed it," she told him, then upon seeing his look, "It was an accident, he forgot the I was hurt."

"Was it?" he asked suspiciously.

"How dare you insinuate that he would hurt me on purpose," she hissed, then got up, "If you're going to act like this, I'm going."

"See now you expect me to go after you and beg you to stay with me, even though you were the one to call me."

She turned to him, "So you wouldn't go after me?"

"Not if it's just a ploy to get me to feel something for you."

She sighed and sat down again, "Fine, you win."

"So why'd you call me?"

"Hunter was practically ignoring me!" she said in disbelief, "I was hurt tonight and he didn't even care."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Chris, that's not the point," she told him.

"Then what--"

"Brock scared me tonight," she whispered quietly.

"He reminded you of Shane huh?"

She looked at him, her eyes clear from their usual guarded state, "How did you know?"

"Why else would you be scared?" he asked, knowing Stephanie hardly showed fear.

"It was the look in his eyes," she told him, "It was Shane all over again.  And then he grabbed my arm--"

"Just like Shane," he finished.

She wiped furiously at the tears she had unwittingly shed, "God I don't know why I'm getting all emotional."

Chris sighed,, he hated seeing her like this.  It always shattered the usual impression he had of her.  Seeing her at her most vulnerable was always a shock to his system.  He scooted over to her and held her tightly against him.

"I'm so sorry," she told him.

"Don't be, better me than someone who could use it against you."

"You're right."

She leaned against his chest, trying to shelter herself from the memories that the subject of Shane brought up.  Unfortunately they were ingrained in her memory.  She buried her face in Chris's shirt, letting him comfort her.  She didn't want comfort, but she needed it and any feelings of pride overrode that feeling of needing someone.  Hunter would never get it, never understand why she did the things she did.

_"You stupid little bitch!" he yelled furiously._

_"I'm sorry," she said quietly as she stood meekly in front of him, "I didn't know."_

_"Like hell you didn't know!  Don't give me that fucking routine Stephanie," Shane yelled in her face._

_Stephanie stepped back, trying to get some breathing room, but Shane's hand grabbed her arm and held her in place.  She could see the fire building in is eyes and it scared her, it scared her so much.  She hadn't meant to hurt him, she didn't know that Marissa would run off with her old college friend.  She had just casually introduced them, nothing else.  But looking into Shane's face, you would thinks she had pushed them to be together._

_"I'm not giving you any routine, I'm sorry Shane," she repeated._

_"Sorry, you're sorry!  Sorry isn't going to bring her back you bitch!"_

_"Shane, please, you're hurting me," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks as his grip tightened around her arm._

_"Oh, does that hurt Stephanie, does that hurt!" he screamed, gripping her even tighter, though she hadn't thought it possible._

_"Yes," she sobbed._

_"Good, you deserve to hurt you little wench, after what you did to me, you deserve to feel a little pain."_

_"Shane, I'm begging you, please, let go of me."_

_He let go of her all right, shoving her straight into the wall behind her.  He head smacked into it and she fell to the floor in a heap, grasping the back of her head as she felt the warm trickle of blood dampening her brown hair.  She stayed down, praying that Shane would leave and stop torturing her._

_"That's where you belong you slut, on the floor!" he said, kicking her, "You can take my slut of a wife with you."_

_She just kept crying, hoping this would be over, hoping that Shane would get tired of her.  She didn't know how much more of this she could take.  She touched her arm, which was still throbbing.  She was hurting everywhere, she didn't know which place to worry about first._

_"Nobody will ever like you Stephanie, nobody will ever respect a little slut whore like you.  You're nothing to everyone Stephanie.  You might as well never make any friends because you will just stab them in the back.  That's what you do best, you stab people in the back.  You aren't even worthy to be called my sister, I hate you, everyone hates you.  Don't fool yourself into thinking anyone will love you.  They won't, you'll see you lying bitch, nobody will ever even care about you," Shane said, spitting on her before he left, slamming the door behind him._

_Stephanie stayed on the floor, unable to get up.  She lay there, looking at the wall and vowed to herself that she would never be put in this position again.  She would be a bitch, it was what she did best.  She would never let anyone see her for what she was, she would never back down from anything.  She swore to herself that she would never be lying on a floor after being beat up by anybody.  Shane was right, she would never have anyone.  Getting close to someone only brought pain and hurt.  _

_She wouldn't put herself in that position again…ever._

"Hey, you're ok," Chris told her, "Don't worry about it."

She pulled away, "Yeah, I'm ok, I'll be fine right, I'm Stephanie McMahon and everyone is afraid of me."

"That's right, and you take no prisoners."

She sniffled, "I'm sorry you saw me like this."

"Saw you like what?" he asked, playing dumb.

"In a weakened state."

"Happens to the best of us, but I think it's best left forgotten, ok, because I don't need some sort of humanized Stephanie walking around, who am I going to plot with then?" he said, nudging her gently.

"Oh, she's not going anywhere,' Stephanie said slowly, reaching out to run her finger down Chris's jaw, "I'm right here."

"Good," he said, winking at her.

"If I didn't have a boyfriend," she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek as she moved his mouth to her ear, "I may have to take you to bed."

"You wish," he whispered huskily.

She suddenly hugged him, "Don't ever let me get like that again."

"Yes ma'am."

Little did Stephanie and Chris know during this entire exchange they had been watched.  A mystery person watched from a table on the other side of the large coffee shop, observing their every move.  They smirked as Chris took Stephanie in his arms.  Hunter would sure love to see that pretty little picture.  Then Stephanie's kiss to Chris's cheek, probably a little foreplay for later or something.  The person whipped out their cell phone and dialed Hunter's number.

"Hello?" Hunter's voice said.

"Yeah, they're down here in the coffee shop."

"Doing?"

"Playing all lovey-dovey."

"Good," Hunter said, "And is she crying on his shoulder?"

"Yeah."  
"Perfect, just what we wanted.  Now all I have to do is get a false confession that she was using Chris the entire time, and we're home clear."

"You think she'll actually say that?"

"Don't worry, I have my ways."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This chapter is based around the song, "Stupid Girl," by Garbage.

**To read the original version with song lyrics go to: bitter-solemnity. com /fics /FAR.php (just get rid of the spaces).

* * *

**

"So you're finally back."

"I wasn't even gone that long," she said, rolling her eyes.

"You were still gone."

"Oh don't even give me this sorry routine. Maybe if you cared that I got hurt tonight I wouldn't have left!"

"You didn't have to be leave. I asked you to stay," Hunter pointed out.

Stephanie snorted and gave him a look that said she thought his words were total bullshit. She walked out of the room, and into the bedroom, exasperated with her boyfriend. Hunter watched her go in and smiled. He wouldn't have stopped her even if he did care. She needed to meet with Chris. She needed to find comfort with him tonight.

She stared up at the ceiling, thinking about things. Mostly Shane. Nobody but Chris knew about the altercation they had had a while back. She'd rather not think about it, but there it was. She pushed it to the back of her brain and thought about plots she and Chris could pull on their unsuspecting co-workers. She felt the bed dip down as Hunter climbed in. He took her in his arms and kissed her jaw.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You should be."

He sighed; she was going to make this hard on him, "I shouldn't have ignored you."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have."

"Stephanie, I'm trying to apologize."

"Fine, I accept," she said shortly.

He kissed her, "Thank you."

The next day, Hunter snuck away from Stephanie to meet with Edge about the plan. He needed to get the video camera to tape Stephanie's fake confession. He needed to use someone else's in case he got implemented in this scheme. He couldn't risk Stephanie finding out the truth. He met the man in a deserted locker room, away from everyone else.

"You got the camera?"

"Yeah. Are you sure you can pull this off?"

"Trust me. She's in the palm of my hand."

"She better be man," Edge said, though he remained skeptical. Stephanie in the palm of someone's hand, not likely, "Good luck."

"Luck isn't necessary," Hunter smirked, "I just want my Stephanie back."

"Dude, why do you care so much?"

"I love her," he shrugged, "I don't know why. I just do."

Edge nodded. He still didn't understand how anyone could love Stephanie given all the horrible things she did all the time. Hunter had to be crazy to love her, that was the only explanation. Either that or he was out to get her money and power. That one seemed more plausible.

"Whatever you say," he told him.

"Thanks," Hunter said, leaving after the exchange.

Later that same evening, Hunter and Stephanie entered a posh nightclub. He had convinced her, with little opposition, to go out tonight. Stephanie looked around, taking in the atmosphere as Hunter pulled her towards the bar by the hand.

"Beer and a Long Island Iced Tea," Hunter said to the bartender.

"Hunter, that's not what I drink," she complained.

"Loosen up a little babe," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Whatever," she responded, grabbing her drink and taking a sip. She hated to admit it was really good. She downed it pretty quickly and asked for another. Hunter did nothing to stop her, this was just what he wanted to happen.

Stephanie was sipping on her third drink and she was bopping her head with the music. Hunter laughed at her and she turned to glare at him. Was he laughing at her? How dare he laugh at her! She smiled lazily and reached for his hand, suddenly forgetting that she was angry.

"Having fun?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled around her straw.

"Good, I think you needed to live a little. You're always around Chris and all that."

"Ugh," she groaned, "Do we have to get into that again?"

"No, we don't," he told her, "Not tonight, but how about we go dance?"

"Yay!" she said, clapping her hands as she shot up from her chair.

She led Hunter onto the dance floor, already hopping around to the music. They found a spot and Stephanie started swaying to the music as Hunter stood there and watched. Better let her use up all her energy now, it would be better later when she was barely coherent. Stephanie lost herself in the music, and the bright colors and lights surrounding her.

It was such a comforting thing to forget, to just be whisked away from all your troubles. The alcohol had clouded her brain and left her forgetting about Shane, and all that other stuff. She was just Stephanie again. She felt Hunter's lips against hers and she kissed him back eagerly, wrapping her arms around him. This was another good way to forget. She pressed her body up against his and let out a low moan as his hand grazed her breast.

"Hotel," she mumbled.

"Just the thought I had in mind."

Stephanie and Hunter left quickly to their car, and he drove even faster to the hotel. Stephanie had sobered up a little, but not enough to be totally thinking straight. She was sitting in Hunter's lap as he drove, kissing his neck and nibbling on his earlobe. Hunter almost lost control a few times when Stephanie shifted in his lap.

They were upstairs in no time, and Stephanie immediately went to unbuttoning his shirt. Hunter stopped her nimble fingers and she looked up at him as if he had grown two heads. He couldn't do this right now, first he had to get the confession out of her, before it was too late.

"Why'd you stop me?" Stephanie asked, kissing him hard.

"Because I want to talk first."

"Sex first, talk later," she mumbled against his lips.

"Steph, let's talk, we never talk."

"Yes we do, we're talking now, sex," she begged.

"Sit down on the couch ok," he said, "I'll be right there."

"Ok," she said, going over to sit on the couch.

Hunter walked over to the spot where he had positioned the camera so that it would catch the ensuing conversation. He pushed the button discreetly and then walked over to sit next to Stephanie. In a flash she was straddling his lap and kissing him with mounting passion.

He pulled away slightly, "Steph, wait just a second."

"I don't wanna wait."

"I just want to make sure that your arm is ok?" he said.

"It's fine," she told him, "Not hurting at all."

"So what are you saying, that Brock didn't really hurt you?"

"Yeah, he didn't really hurt me," she said, clearly. Hunter knew he had, and that Stephanie was far too aroused right now to care what she was saying.

"Steph, can I ask you something?"

"Hmm..."

He might as well ask her when she was inebriated, "Have you fucked Jericho?"

Stephanie pulled back a moment, looking him straight in the eyes, "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, I've never ever, ever, ever fucked Chris, not a single time, ever," she giggled.

"Good. So basically you're using him then."

"What?" she asked, "Using him?"

"Yeah, you know, I mean, come on, you know you don't want him, so you must be using him."

Stephanie rolled her eyes, but he knew that from the camera angle Chris would never be able to tell. She looked at him and wondered if he was actually being serious. She scoffed and went back to kissing his neck.

"Yeah, I'm using him," she said, a note of sarcasm in her voice, but not enough to really tell.

"You are."

"Of course," she said, just wanting to stop talking about this and get to the sleeping together part, "Do you really think I wanted to be friends with Chris Jericho. Nah, I wanted to see if I could get him to be my bitch and then when he finally succumbed, I'd break him like a twig. That's what I was planning all along, isn't it brilliant? I'm just using Chris Jericho."

Hunter laughed, that had been way to easy. Stephanie had finished her little speech with a sarcastic smile and a roll of her eyes. Luckily for him, she had her back to the camera and you could only see her profile. Chris would be none the wiser.

"That's all I wanted to hear."

"Now can we go into the bedroom," she said, "Unless you wanna do it here?"

"Go wait on the bed, I'll be right in there, ok," he told her.

"Ok," she said, giggling as she licked her lips playfully.

Hunter got up and went back to the camera, turning it off. He'd have it edited later, but right now, everything he needed was on that tape. And soon, very soon, Chris would be out of his life and Stephanie's as well. He smirked to himself, now he'd go celebrate, he thought as he walked into the bedroom.

"You're looking awfully chipper today?" Chris said as Stephanie sauntered over to him, a little more swing in her hips.

"I found you, of course I'm more chipper, you always put me in a good mood," she said, poking his stomach.

"So what's on the agenda for tonight?"

"Hmm," she said, reaching out to grasp his hand, "You tell me."

"I was thinking we could," he said, then leaned in so his mouth was right next to her ear and whispered something in her ear.

Stephanie pulled back and gave him an incredulous look, "Chris, I didn't know you had it in you to think of something so...mean."

"I only take after my better half," he said.

"We are so going to have to do that later," she said, her eyes lighting up.

He smirked, "Definitely."

"But right now, I have to go talk to my father," she said, shaking her head, "I'll see you later."

He was about to walk off and think about how they could execute his little idea when he noticed something sitting in front of his locker room door. He bent over to pick up an unlabeled manila envelope. He turned it over, looking for any markings, but didn't see any. He stood back up and looked around, wondering who had left it there.

He shrugged and walked inside his locker room. He opened the envelope and saw a video tape inside. He took it out, but there was nothing on it. Who would be sending him videos? Watch it be some porn from some fan of his or something. He chuckled to himself as he stuck it in the VCR in his room, might as well check this out.

He sat down and pressed the play button on the remote. What he saw was a grainy video that looked to be a security tape. He could make out two shapes and then heard Stephanie's voice, and then Hunter's. Oh god, if this ended with them having sex, he was going to puke his brains out. He watched and listened disinterestedly. This was boring. Then he heard something piqued his interest. He rewound the tape and listened again.

"I'm just using Chris Jericho."

Thinking he hadn't heard it correctly, he listened over and over again, thinking it would change one time. His eyes narrowed as he finished with the video. How dare she? She had been using him all along. He felt the hatred rise up in him. If she lied to him all along, was the thing with Shane a lie too. Maybe everything had been lies. He got up quickly, going to find out some answers. That little bitch, if she had tried anything on him, he would...he didn't know what he'd do, but it wouldn't be pretty. As he walked out angrily, the words kept playing over in his head.

"I'm just using Chris Jericho."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This chapter is based around the song, "Push It" by Garbage.

**To read the original version with song lyrics go to: bitter-solemnity. com /fics /FAR.php (just get rid of the spaces).

* * *

**

Chris stalked down the hallway, ignoring everyone in his path. And if someone did get in his path, well, they suffered the consequences and got a good, hard shove into the wall. He only wanted to see one person at the moment, and that person was Stephanie McMahon, and if she didn't want to see him, well tough luck, because he was damn neared pissed off enough to rip the door to her locker room off the hinge.

"Where you going?" Edge said smugly as he stood against the wall, smirking as he regarded Chris. It looked as though he had gotten their special delivery message.

"What's it to you?" Chris said angrily, not wanting to stop and talk, but the blonde man had stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Just curious, you look pissed or something," Edge commented, tilting his head to look at Chris.

"It's none of your fucking business, and if you don't step the hell out of my way, I'll forcibly remove you from my way."

"Well, no need to get so touchy."

Chris had had enough, the anger was reaching a boiling point and he was having a hard time controlling it. He needed to get the anger out, and Edge was right there. He grabbed Edge by the collar and shoved him up against the wall...hard. Chris got right in his face and his breath was coming out in short, angry gasps.

"When I tell you to get out of my way, you better get the fuck out of my way!" he said through clenched teeth.

He shoved Edge's back against the wall for good measure then let the man drop in shock. Chris walked off, still seething with anger. Edge just smiled and dusted himself off. The end is near, he thought to himself. It was very, very near, and he couldn't wait for Chris and Stephanie's reign of terror to come to an end.

Chris reached Stephanie's locker room, finally, and he raised his fist to pound on the door. He kept pounding and pounding, not caring that he was definitely making a scene, and not caring that his hand was starting to hurt from the force he was pounding his fist with. All he cared about was what the hell Stephanie was thinking and whether or not he was going to yell at her.

Stephanie turned as she heard a loud pounding in the room. For a second she thought it might be a couple of people fucking loudly in the next room, but came to center the noise as coming from her own door. She put her clipboard down, she had been planning matches and things and having fun with that, but it seemed whoever was on the other door wanted her very badly. Usually she would ignore them, seeing as how the only two people she would want to see, Hunter and Chris, would just walk in and not bother with the knocking. She swung open the door and saw Chris standing there, and he looked pissed.

"Chris, what're you doing here?" she asked happily, "Did you come to ask me something about later? I told you we'd do that."

"Stephanie, let me in," he said slowly.

"What's the matter?" she asked, "Who do I have to break to make a smile appear on your face?"

She leaned up to run a hand through his hair, but he reached up quickly and threw her hand off of him. She laughed, thinking he was teasing and put her hand on his stomach. This time he grabbed her wrist and threw her hand away from his body. This time she looked up at him inquisitively, wondering why he was being so distant with her. He usually would be up for some contact, but he didn't even want her to touch him.

"Tell me what's wrong so I can fix it?" she said sweetly.

It sounded so fake to Chris now. Her words were so fake and he could see through them. She was such a liar and he had never been more disgusted with her before. Not only her, but he was disgusted with himself as well. How had he let himself get sucked in with her in the first place? He felt like the world's biggest sucker, he had believed every word she said when they were all lies.

"Chris?" she asked again, "Tell me what's the matter?"

"You are the hugest bitch I've ever seen," he spoke the words slowly and deliberately.

"I know, aren't you proud?" she said, still not getting that his anger was directed towards her.

"How can you stand there and act like we're friends?" he said, a scowl marring his face.

"We are friends Chris, unless you want to be more," she finished with a whisper and stepped closer to him.

"Get away from me!"

Stephanie took a step back, taken aback by Chris's behavior. She had never seen him this mad, except at Hunter, but Hunter wasn't here at the moment. He couldn't possibly be mad at her? He'd never been mad at her, perturbed sometimes when she spoiled his plans or something, but never full blown-out anger, not like he was right now. It puzzled her.

"Chris, what did I do?"

"What did you do? Oh fucking please, don't act like you aren't fucking caught! I know everything about you Stephanie, EVERYTHING!"

"What, did you see me naked?" she laughed, "If that's the case then no big deal."

"You used me," he said, shaking his head, "You fucking used me!"

"Chris, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't fucking lie to me, what was the one fucking thing I told you when we started this little friendship?"

"You told me to never use you, and I haven't," she said, "I mean, not really, you've known about the times that I've needed you."

"Yeah, and nice to see you've been playing the whole damn time," he said sarcastically, "I trusted you Stephanie, I did things with you that would make people sick, that DID make people sick, I broke up relationships with you, and suddenly I'm disgusted with myself."

"Playing?" she asked, confused.

"Don't give me the fucking innocent act Stephanie, I know how good an actress you really are. I just can't believe I was one of the people you played. God, have you no shame, you're willing to step over anyone to get what you want."

"Chris, talk to me, what is going on?"

She didn't know where this was coming from. She racked her brain, thinking about the past couple of days, had she said something wrong? Had she done something to upset him? She thought back and couldn't come up with a single thing. It had been business as usual, what could've made him turn into this man that stood before her?

"Talk to you, oh we're done talking Stephanie. I gave up a helluva lot of friends to be with you. I thought it was worth it, I really did, but you're not worth it anymore."

"Chris," she said, looking up at him, his eyes imploring, "What did I do?"

"You don't even fucking know do you?" he said, shaking his head.

"No."

Chris stared at her, how could she just play so nonchalant with him? She really was a bitch. He was tired of her games and tired of her in general. Someone who he had liked so much just hours before, he despised with his entire being at this very moment. He grabbed her by the arms, shaking her slightly.

"How could you do that to me? How could you tell him you used me!"

"Chris, stop, I didn't tell anyone anything!" she said, trying to shake free from his grasp.

"Yes, you did! Hunter, don't lie Stephanie, I know the truth ok, you were just using me the entire time, everything was a lie, you manipulated me, are you happy now you bitch!"

She didn't have time to answer because as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, his lips were on hers. He didn't know what he was doing, but he knew that his temper was almost out of control and he did the one thing that he could think of to stop himself from exploding.

He had never kissed her before. Hell, they had never kissed ever before. They had teased it, they had almost kissed on a number of occasions, but as he kissed her with such expertise, she kicked herself for not seriously kissing him earlier. He really was good at it. So good she felt herself falling into an abyss that she wasn't about to escape.

She tasted so good, he thought to himself, that he couldn't stop himself. He wanted to stop before this got out of control, he had only meant to kiss her for a second, not for this long and he was finding it harder to pull away as each second ticked by. He reached behind him to the door and locked it quickly before bringing his arm around to tangle in her long brown hair, gripping it in between his fingers, pulling her closer.

She pressed her body up against his almost brutally, trying to get as close to him as she could while she stood there. Her hands quickly moved underneath his shirt, running up his chest, feeling the quick pounding of his heart beneath her palm. She ran her hands around his back, holding onto him for dear life, as if she would be carried away if she didn't hold onto him.

She pulled away for air and he instantly moved to her neck, sucking and biting on it gently as she muttered, "Oh God, Chris."

It was like music to his ears. He didn't know how much he wanted to hear that sound until she had muttering his name, obviously aroused. He needed her, he needed her to feel the hurt she had put him through. He wanted to take her and just forget that she was a bitch and her only intention had been to hurt him. He lifted her shirt off, going in to kiss her cleavage peeking through the top of her bra. He moved her backwards, not breaking his contact with her body as he led her over to the plush couch sitting in the middle of the room.

Stephanie gasped as her back met the cold leather of the couch. She arched up because of the cold and was met with Chris's body so close to hers, as he kept kissing down her chest. She wanted this so badly that it scared her. Why hadn't they been fucking before? Everyone thought they were fucking anyways, and if she knew how good his mouth would feel on her skin, she would've done this a lot sooner. She pulled his shirt over his head so their hot skin touched each other, causing a burning feeling between the two of them. The burning raced through both their bodies.

"God Steph," he said as Stephanie closed her eyes, "So beautiful."

"I want you Chris," she said, her voice belying the aching she was feeling.

He complied as he unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor next to the couch. He ravished her and she moaned softly in pleasure. She tried to focus on what had led them here, but at the moment she really didn't care. As long as his lips were on her body, cooling her scorching skin with his cool kisses, she didn't care how she ended up topless on a couch with Chris Jericho hovering over her.

Chris went for her pants and thong next, taking them both out in one fell swoop. Suddenly she was naked and he often thought, while she would walk around in her underwear, how she would look when she was naked. It was even better than the images he could think up. He ran his hand down the side of her body, causing her to shiver at his touch.

"Told you it was nice," she said, opening her eyes to look at him. His eyes were a smoldering blue and she recalled when she had been mesmerized by them at the club they had gone to. She was even more mesmerized at this moment.

"You did," he said, teasing with her. For the moment, that anger had subsided, if only for a moment.

"And I was right."

"Like always."

"Well, please tell me you aren't just going to kneel there while you have me at your disposal, I'm not made of glass."

That was the only cue that he needed as he went back to worshipping her luscious body. She let her sensations take over, feeling Chris everywhere on her body, as if he consumed her. She had never felt this kind of passion with Hunter, or any guy she had been with. But she always knew she and Chris were great together, she just didn't know that it extended to sex as well.

She felt him stop and groaned as she didn't feel his lips all over her anymore. She looked down at him and saw that he was taking his pants off. She sat up and helped him take them off, smiling and kissing him the entire time. They were off quickly and she lay back down, preparing herself for the inevitable. Her breath was quick as she waited in anticipation. This was going to have to be good.

The inevitable came a moment later and she felt like the air was pushed out of her body. The sensations were overwhelming, and she had never felt anything like him before. It was incredible. He kissed her, not letting her get swept up in the moment. She didn't want to be swept up in it, she wanted to feel every little thing he did to her.

It was fast-paced and full of the fiery passion they were known for. It wasn't brutal, but it wasn't necessarily loving either. But they both didn't want that. She wrapped herself around him, kissing him hard as his weight was on top of her. She felt herself rises to the top of the mountain before falling hard, the pleasure too much for her to bear. She almost screamed, if it hadn't been for Chris's mouth covering her and fighting her tongue with his own in sole supremacy, she would've let out a scream that would've rocked the arena.

Before she knew it, it was all over, and he was still on top of her as he caught his breath. She looked up at him, and was surprised by the hurt she saw in his eyes. She kissed him gently, but he pulled away, the hurt look being replaced by that anger she had seen earlier.

"I hate you Stephanie."

"Well that's not something you want to hear after sex," Stephanie joked, thinking that they were back on track now. They had let their inhibitions out.

"You used me for the last time, I never want to see you again, I don't want to hear about your problems ever again. As of this moment, we were never friends."

Stephanie sat up, "Chris, I'm still not getting it."

"What you told Hunter Stephanie, I heard it all, so just get out of my sight."

"But Chris," she said, tears forming in her eyes, she felt herself losing him, and she couldn't lose him. He was her only friend, her only confidante, "Please, don't go."

"You blew it Stephanie, I can't believe I fell for your lies and became your friend," he said, getting dressed quickly, "You're nothing but a two- faced bitch, and I hope you rot in hell."

Stephanie sat there, still naked, and in shock over what he had said. He was being so harsh and she suddenly felt very exposed, sitting there naked. He was the only one who she had ever let into her mind, and she was losing him to. She felt like she was being beaten up by Shane all over again. She felt like she was on the floor being told she was worthless, except this time it hurt a million times worse. Chris walked to the door and unlocked it. Before he left, he told her one thing.

"Told you I could have you if I wanted to."


	11. Chapter 11

Stephanie just sat there, his last words reverberating through her brain. Why did he hate her? She hadn't gotten a clear answer. He did mention Hunter. Could Hunter have said something to him? It was very possible considering how much Hunter despised Chris and didn't make it a secret just how much he despised him.  
  
She got up slowly, trying to locate her attire strewn about the small room. She tried to put the sex behind her, he had only done it because he hated her. Yet, the passion had been overwhelming. She didn't want to forget it. It was just way too good to forget.  
  
She got dressed slowly, tired for the earlier escapades. Not only that, but she felt the fight drain out of her as well. Without Chris by her side, things just didn't seem as bright. She felt so lonely suddenly. First Shane, now Chris, two times she had been hurt, two times she didn't even do anything wrong.  
  
Just as she was pulling her shirt on, the door opened. She looked up quickly, hopefully, praying that Chris had just been playing a sick joke on her. She could deal with it if it was a joke, she might even laugh if it was. Instead it was Hunter. She hoped he couldn't sense anything that had just happened, and she had pretty much cleaned up the mess so he shouldn't be able to find any "traces" of what had just happened.  
  
"Steph, what's wrong?" Hunter asked.  
  
It was then and only then, that Stephanie realized she had been crying the entire time. She glanced over to a mirror hanging from the wall, and was stunned at the person who looked back at her. That couldn't be her, it just couldn't be her.  
  
She was an absolute mess. Her hair was disheveled from Chris's rough fingers lacing through it. She was still flushed from her and Chris's little indiscretion. But what scared her the most was her eyes. First off, they were red and puffy from crying, but what got her, what really got her was how dead they looked. She was dead, for all she cared.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Stephanie you look like you just lost your best friend."  
  
She thought he was being ironic, but didn't catch the glint in his eyes, "I did."  
  
"What? What happened?"  
  
"Chris...I don't know," she sobbed, "He's gone. He hates me."  
  
"Huh?" he said, playing dumb, but inside he was rejoicing.  
  
"He came in here, and accused me of using him, but I never used him!"  
  
"Oh Steph," he said, rushing to her side, "It'll be ok."  
  
"I didn't use him!" she repeated, this time more vehemently.  
  
"Come on, you knew it was only a matter of time until this happened."  
  
She looked up at him, question written all over her face, "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Come on, you know that you two were too different. You're a great person and he's just a jackass who brought you down to his level."  
  
She looked at him, his words puzzling her. Did he even know her at all? Her and Chris were so much alike it was eerie. They understood each other, or at least that's how they were. She wasn't sure how it was now. But for a while, it was like they shared one brain, they anticipated each other before any words could be spoken.  
  
"Yeah, I guess," she said, not wanting to argue, "He was just my only friend."  
  
"Hey, you have me, you don't need friends."  
  
She sighed and looked at him. Yes, she did have Hunter, at least she still had Hunter. So many times he could've left her. So many times she had done things that would've turned any man's blood cold, but Hunter had stuck by her through it all, and he loved her, and wanted her to move in with him.  
  
"Yeah, I do have you," she told him, leaning over to kiss him gently.  
  
Hunter smiled as she pulled away, "You'll always have me."  
  
That may be true, but there was something she needed to ask him before this little love-fest went any further, "Hunter, did you say something to Chris? I mean, to get him to hate me, did you say something to him?"  
  
Hunter shook his head, "Nope, I haven't spoken to him all day actually. I don't know what could be bugging him."  
  
"Oh," she said, then looked down, "It must've been something else."  
  
"Stephanie, come on, get your mind off of him, he's not worth it. Now you can finally focus on us."  
  
She smiled. She didn't need Chris Jericho, she hadn't needed him before and she didn't need him now. She was Stephanie fucking McMahon, and she could take care of herself. She had been strong for this long by herself, and she didn't need a crutch to lean on. That's all Chris was, a crutch. She cursed under her breath, she didn't need the extra burden of someone else.  
  
She could handle the world alone.  
  
Chris sat with his head in his hands. How could he have been so stupid? He rewound the tape again and watched it. The betrayal was still so raw, and the words, they were on continuous loop right now. He was now alone, not a friend to his name. He had alienated them all when he was friends with Stephanie and they'd never want to be friends again after some of the things he had done.  
  
He got up and went to change into his ring attire for his match. As he undressed, he thought about what had just transpired. God, the sex was good with Stephanie. Better than he could've ever imagined. And sure, he had imagined it, he was a guy and she was a beautiful woman, it was bound to cross his mind once and while. But never had he figured it would be that magnetic. But he shook his head from that thought. He had just been using her like she used him. The bitch deserved a little payback for what she had done.  
  
He dressed and got ready before heading to the gorilla. Edge and Dawn Marie were standing there, talking in low whispers, Dawn giggling at something Edge said. Chris walked over, feeling awkward. He might as well try to bridge some gaps now, but he didn't exactly know how to go about it.  
  
"Hey, you guys," Chris called out tentatively.  
  
"Yeah?" Dawn said, turning in Edge's arms.  
  
"Look I'm sorry for what I've been trying to do as of late. It wasn't very cool of me," he said honestly.  
  
They both looked surprised. He was already trying to get back into the fold with them. This was what they wanted, this was what they all wanted. The old Chris was coming back, thank God. Everyone had liked that Chris, and missed him when he disappeared under Stephanie's influence. Now he was back, and hopefully for good.  
  
"Look, you were misguided," Edge said, "No hard feelings."  
  
"You guys should hate me," Chris said.  
  
"Nah," Edge told him, "We know that it was mostly Stephanie."  
  
Chris winced slightly at her name, "Yeah, but let's not talk about her right now. Dawn, I can probably get you out of this storyline, maybe have you turn on me so you can get with Edge."  
  
"You'd do that?" Dawn asked, smiling.  
  
"Sure, it would probably work out better," he smiled.  
  
"Wow, I don't know what to say," Dawn said, hugging Edge happily.  
  
"It's the least I can do," Chris told them.  
  
They went out for their match and Chris fought, though he was distracted by the earlier events. Stephanie was distracted too. She watched Chris on the screen, and tried to stave off the advances of Hunter, who kept trying to reach his hand under her shirt. She pushed him away.  
  
"Hunter, not right now," she said impatiently.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I'm trying to watch the show."  
  
Hunter looked up at the television to see Chris fighting on it. He frowned as he looked at the television to Stephanie. Why was she still so fucking involved in watching him? She just needed the time to get over this little thing they had going. He reached under her shirt again, in an attempt to get her going, but she swatted his hand away again. This time though, she put a little zing into her slap.  
  
"What is wrong with you?" he snapped.  
  
"Look," she said, getting more irritated by the second, "Chris is mad at me, more than mad at me, he said he hates me. I want to know why the fuck he's mad at me!"  
  
"Stephanie, get over it," Hunter groaned, "It's not even worth thinking about."  
  
"But I want to know," she shot at him.  
  
"Let's leave it alone, obviously he doesn't want to be around you and that's a good thing."  
  
"Is it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, because we have each other ok, and I was getting pretty sick and tired of you two always hanging off each other. Do you think I didn't know the rumors floating around here? Did you think that I didn't have people laughing at me because they thought you guys were playing me for a fool?"  
  
"Look Hunter, I NEVER slept with Chris, I never did anything with Chris," she said hastily, then was bombarded by what they had done here today. Well, for the most part that statement was true. Might as well stick with that one, considering that Hunter would kill Chris if he found out, and then he would kill her.  
  
"I know! But what about other people, they didn't know and I hated it!"  
  
"So hate it you bastard," Stephanie said, getting up, "You know what, I'm sick and tired of all of you. You all bug me. If it's not you, it's Chris, if it's not him, it's Shane, I hate you all!"  
  
She made a run for the door, but Hunter got up quickly and with his much longer stride, managed to get in front of the door just as she reached it. Nevertheless, she went for the door and he blocked her way. She looked up at him, fire in her eyes, but he didn't back down. She tried to shove him, but it was no use, she was stuck here with him.  
  
"Look Steph, I'm sorry ok, I'm just tired of it all," he said exasperated.  
  
"So am I!" she screamed, "I hate this, I hate how I feel. I hate Chris Jericho!"  
  
Hunter had waited far too long to hear those words, but now that they were here, it felt even better than imagined. He won the war. So much for Chris trying to take his girlfriend. In the end, like always, Hunter had won, and Stephanie was all his now, and he needn't worry about pissant, little blonde bitch.  
  
"Good," he said, "Now we can move on."  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
She had gotten so caught up in the moment that she hadn't known what she uttered until the words "I hate Chris Jericho," came out of her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that, she didn't really feel that way, but she just needed to let something out. She was pissed as all get out at the moment, and unlike Chris, she didn't want to fuck someone to keep from going over the edge.  
  
"We can move on. You hate Chris, that's a good thing Steph."  
  
"Yeah, I guess," she said, not even convincing herself, but Hunter seemed satisfied with her response.  
  
"Look Steph, you were too good for him anyways. Stop worrying about it ok."  
  
Truer words were never spoken and heard by her ears. She did need to stop thinking about it. She would just go along with Hunter. Hunter was here, Chris wasn't. Hunter had always stuck by her, and loved her, even when she didn't deserve his love. She did love him, and she could be happy with him. She just needed to let herself be taken care of by him.  
  
"I love you Hunter," she said, hugging him tightly.  
  
"I love you too," he told her, rubbing her back as a sneaky grin spread across his face.  
  
"We'll be happy," she told him, "I promise you that."  
  
"I don't doubt that, but there's something that would make me happier."  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
He pulled away and pulled a box out of his back pocket. He was down on his knee in a flash, and Stephanie almost had a heart attack as she stood there. This couldn't be happening. She wasn't even ready to move in with this man and she knew what question was going to be asked in a few moments. She covered her mouth with her hand, anticipating the next moment.  
  
"Steph, marry me. Make me happy, let me make you happy."  
  
What did she have to lose? This would make her father happy, and Hunter happy, and yes, even herself, it would make happy. She knew if she were still friends with Chris that he would tell her that she was nuts for even considering saying yes to this proposal. But Chris was out of her life. She was starting a new life, the one post-Chris, where her decisions were hers alone and none of his fucking business. And what better way to start that off then to......  
  
"Yes Hunter, I'll marry you." 


	12. Chapter 12

"Chris stop!"  
  
Torrie screamed as she was being chased by Chris around the locker room that he was sharing with Edge. He caught up to her and picked her up, laughing as he threw her over her shoulder. She squealed and squirmed before he dumped her down on the couch playfully.  
  
"Now you stay there," he said, laughing, "And stop going through my stuff."  
  
"I just wanted to see if you had brought your purple tights, those are my favorite."  
  
"Oh yes Chris, those are my favorite too," Edge said in a girly tone.  
  
Chris just laughed and shook his head at his friends, not even wanting to know the excuses his friends were making. Yes, his friends, as odd as that sounded to his ears. The people who used to hate him had readily accepted him back into the fold. He was surprised that they didn't hate him after all the horrible things that he had done to him, but it seemed they were over it.  
  
He could actually say he was happy. After Stephanie's betrayal, he had thought that he would be a bitter, cynical bastard for the rest of his life, but he was back to his old self, having a million different friends and tons of people to hang out with. It was a tad weird at first, awkward at best, but now he felt back at home.  
  
As for him and Stephanie, he hadn't seen her since that night when they had fucked on the couch of her locker room. He hadn't really let himself think about that night. It had hurt, for one, but when he thought of Stephanie, laying there, it brought up memories he'd rather forget. He was glad he hadn't seen her, and had heard from his friends that she had taken a vacation for a while.  
  
"Oh my God," Christian said, walking into the locker room with Dawn Marie on his heels.  
  
"What?" Edge asked.  
  
"You won't believe the gossip we just heard," Dawn said, walking over to sit on Edge's lap.  
  
"Ok, tell us," Chris said impatiently, "Some of us hate playing the guessing game."  
  
"Stephanie and Hunter are getting married," Christian said, a lilt of disbelief in his voice.  
  
If Chris hadn't felt like he had been punched in the stomach, he might have noticed everyone glancing at him for his reaction. He was almost tempted to go see Stephanie and tell her what a phenomenally huge mistake she was about to make. That's what the old Chris would've done, but he wasn't the old Chris any longer, and he had to have an air of disinterest.  
  
"Wow," Torrie said, "I knew it would happen, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon."  
  
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," Dawn said, "He deserves better."  
  
It was on the tip of his tongue to say that SHE was the one who deserved better. But that was before she betrayed him. Now he thought that she deserved to be with that asshole. The new Chris thought they were both the biggest pieces of shit in the company and he hated them both. They probably planned it out so that he looked like a fool, he wouldn't have put it past that bitch.  
  
"God, match made in hell," Chris piped in, "They deserve each other."  
  
"Definitely," Torrie said, "I mean, those two are barely tolerable."  
  
"Totally," Edge added.  
  
"I just wonder what the kids will be like," Chris laughed.  
  
"Oh God, the visuals," Dawn said, covering her ears.  
  
Stephanie sat down, smoothing out the long skirt of her sundress. Yes, a sundress, she was actually wearing a very plain, very blue sundress. Hunter said he preferred her in this, and she complied and started wearing very simple clothes. She had no need for those ostentatious outfits she used to wear. She only had Hunter now, and if this would make him happy, then she was willing to do it.  
  
"Hey baby, you look so great," Hunter said, reaffirming the way she chose to dress.  
  
"Thank you," she said demurely.  
  
Stephanie had become more withdrawn since the experience with Chris. She wasn't that leader she had been, but instead was a follower to all of Hunter's actions. She just didn't feel the need to be someone else when she needed another person to complete the equation. The fight had just been drained from her, and this was what was left, a simpering fool who rode on Hunter's coattails.  
  
"You want to come out with my match tonight, I'm sure that we can do a last minute storyline change," he said, leaning down to kiss her.  
  
"No, I'm ok staying back here," she said, "I don't want to steal your spotlight."  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"Really, it's fine, I don't want to be a burden," she said, ducking her head.  
  
"Ok," he said, kissing her again, "But I better get out there, I have to cut a promo."  
  
"Good luck," she said, smiling at him, her teeth a shiny white.  
  
"I don't need any of that," he said, waving off her statement.  
  
"I just said it to be nice," she muttered under her breath as he left the room.  
  
She leaned back against the couch. She was bored, but what else was new. She had been bored for the longest time. Had it really been two weeks since her falling out with Chris. It seemed like an eternity. She had seen him around every now and then, but he would always leave before she could even look in his direction for more than a second. She could feel the hatred coming from him in waves, and for the first time ever, it was directed at her.  
  
She got up off the couch, straightening out the hideous dress she was wearing. Hunter had told her he liked how she used to dress better, more wholesome, he had told her. She stared down at the ill-fitting dress and had the urge to rip it off and just walk around in her underwear. Instead she just walked out of the dressing room, planning to watch Hunter work.  
  
Chris had a match coming up soon and went to go wait at the gorilla. He didn't want to miss his cue. He had a feeling that the production people were getting mad because he kept showing up for his matches and promos seconds before his music hit. He couldn't help it if he got caught up with his friends. He laughed and stood by a monitor to watch the show.  
  
He scowled immediately as the first thing he saw on the television was Hunter. Talk about the last thing you would want to see. He frowned in distaste. That bastard could have Stephanie, he didn't want her anymore, but that didn't stop him from thinking that Stephanie deserved better than that asshole.  
  
Stephanie came walking down the hallway and she instantly spotted him. She would recognize him anywhere. She almost turned back, not wanting to confront him. She had wanted to talk to him for the past couple weeks, but she didn't know how to go about it without him going completely ballistic on her. She would need to overcome that obstacle first.  
  
She walked over and stood next to him, a few feet separating them. She looked down, not daring to chance a glance over at the blonde man. She then rose her eyes up to meet the television screen, watching the proceedings with a keen interest, anything to not draw too much attention to herself.  
  
Chris didn't need to look over to know she was right there. She had a habit of wanting to watch on the monitors and here she was. He quickly took a peek at her and was almost shocked by what he saw her in. She looked...plain, so incredibly plain. It almost shocked him that she looked so different. He almost opened his mouth to make a sarcastic comment, but stopped himself.  
  
She wanted so desperately to talk to him, just to hear his voice, maybe even that voice he used when he got all hot and bothered with her. Anything to hear his voice again, without the anger that it held the last time they spoke. She thought of one way to get him to talk to her.  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
Chris's head shot to the side and looked at her, his eyes impossibly wide as they regarded her. They swept over her body quickly, trying to see any changes, but if there were any, they were too imperceptible. She looked up at him, with doe eyes and then looked down.  
  
"What? I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you," he hissed, "Oh my God, but we used protection!"  
  
"I didn't know how else to get you to talk to me," she smirked, but it was a very small smirk.  
  
"Wait, what?"  
  
"I'm not pregnant."  
  
He almost wanted to wring her neck. In fact, he almost did ring her neck. How dare she use that kind of tactic to get him to talk to her? Talk about your low-down things to do, teasing him with the possibility that he had knocked up a woman he hated. Of course, deep down, that admiration of old shone through.  
  
"Don't fucking do that!" he said, clutching his chest.  
  
"I just wanted you to talk to me," she told him.  
  
"Stephanie, I have nothing to say to you," he said, turning back to look at the monitor.  
  
"I know," she said, looking down.  
  
"Good, then we're through here," he said, feeling that old anger rising up in him. He didn't want to get angry with her right now, where anyone could see.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said softly.  
  
"Whatever, I don't care."  
  
"No," she sighed, "Not about that, about whatever I did."  
  
She was still playing the innocent card, and it was sickening him. Why didn't she just give it up already? He couldn't believe that she was sticking to this pathetic farce. He knew the truth and for her to just ignore was infuriating. He wanted to just grab her and tell her that she needed to quit the shit with him.  
  
"Steph, give up the act ok?"  
  
"Chris, I don't have an act," she told him vehemently, "I don't know what you're talking about, but whatever I did, whatever it was, I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry doesn't cut it."  
  
"Oh," she said, actually thinking that would make it better. Of course, that was silly of her, he hated her now. She had seen him back with his old friends, and he seemed happy, and as much as she would love to just steal him away again, he wouldn't follow.  
  
"Look, don't talk to me ever again ok, simple as that. I have my friends back now, and I don't need you," he said bitterly.  
  
"Hunter and I are engaged," she said, so quietly he strained to hear.  
  
There was that punch in the stomach feeling again. Damn that feeling. It was only because he KNEW, he fucking KNEW that Stephanie deserved better. He hated her with everything in him, he hated what she had done to him, but Hunter was another thing entirely. He deserved to be alone, all alone with nothing, not even his title belt to keep him warm at night.  
  
"I know," he said, biting the inside of his cheek, stopping a remark from coming out.  
  
"Well, he asked, and since I.....don't have.....anyone, I thought that it would be the best thing to do, given the circumstances," she explained.  
  
She was referring to him, and he knew it. It wasn't hard to miss after all. And the subtle little "anyone" that she had said, it was pretty hard to miss. She was trying to bait him back in. This was all an act, and he was her prey and he couldn't let her ensnare him again, he couldn't fall into her trap.  
  
"Yeah, good luck with that," he scoffed, "I'm sure you two will make each other miserable."  
  
She bit her lip, she had to say this, "I didn't lie to you. Not once, and I know you don't believe me, and that's ok, I just needed you to know. You hurt me the other week, and the only other time I had hurt that bad was with Shane."  
  
Fuck, she knew how to cut the knife through his chest didn't she?  
  
"I can't believe you're trying to pull that on me," he said, focusing on the hurt that she had instilled in him.  
  
"I'm not pulling anything you asshole!" Stephanie screeched, "I'm telling you the fucking truth!"  
  
Finally there was some life to this Stephanie clone or whatever she was trying to pull with this new attitude she had adopted.  
  
"Don't yell at me," he hissed, "Don't you ever fucking talk to me again!"  
  
"Fuck you Chris, I don't know what the fuck happened to you, but it's nice to know you're a fucking pussy again."  
  
"At least I'm not dressed like some little fucking angel, when we both know you're anything but innocent."  
  
"You're not innocent either, and yet you prance around here, acting like you're fucking better than everyone else. You're no better than I am."  
  
"I know, and I'm trying so hard to shed this fucking coat you cloaked me in. I don't want to be known as a bastard."  
  
"That's all you'll ever be!"  
  
"No," he said, hauling her against him, "No."  
  
"There's the Chris I know," she said seductively.  
  
She had done it again, "Fuck you Stephanie."  
  
"I think you already did."  
  
"That was a mistake," he told her, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"Might've been, but you can change that, no matter how hard you try."  
  
"No, but I will try my damnedest to forget you." 


	13. Chapter 13

Stephanie sat there sullenly, a dull smile on her face. She listened as her mother gushed about the wedding and all the preparations that had to be made. Her father would input something every now and then, but would eventually go back to talking to Hunter about the business or something. She took a sip of champagne, letting the bubbly liquid flow through her, comforting her.  
  
She was bored. Not just with this dinner, but with her life as well. She had been engaged to Hunter for two months now. They had set a date. She was going to be Mrs. Hunter Helmsley in approximately five months. Five short months and she would be forever connected to the man that sat at her right. She looked over at him, studying his profile and watching him talk. He glanced over at her briefly, smiling and then grabbing her free hand to hold in his before he went back to talking with her father.  
  
His hand was so cold; she almost shook him off. But she didn't, and let his touch linger. She tried to appear interested in the arrangements her mother was making, but she was just so tired of hearing about this damn wedding. She was beginning to regret ever saying yes to Hunter, hell if she was honest, she was regretting it now, and had been since the moment that she said yes. But what else could she do? She couldn't lose Hunter too, not now, not when she was so alone.  
  
If Chris were still her friend, he would've talked her out of it. He would've told her that she was an idiot for even considering marrying that overgrown lump that she loved. She would've laughed and teased, and then she would've seen that he was right and gotten her way out of the situation like she did to many other situations. Except, Chris wasn't there, Chris was off somewhere, with his...friends.  
  
She missed him, God, she hated thinking that, she hated the feeling that his absence left in her heart. They hadn't talked since their last blow- out, and she made no attempt to. He had made it loud and clear to her that he hated her and wanted nothing to do with her. That wasn't why she had stopped trying to talk to him though. She had seen the look in his eyes as he looked at her.  
  
It was filled with contempt.  
  
He loathed her, and she didn't even know why. What could she have possibly done to make him hate her so much? She had racked her brain a million times, spent many a sleepless night trying to think of something, one small thing that she may have done to deserve his bitterness towards her. She continuously came up with nothing; nothing to make him hate her with the fire of a thousand suns. Yet he did.  
  
"So Stephanie, what kind of flowers do you want?" Linda asked.  
  
Stephanie almost yawned, "I don't know Mom, whatever's nice."  
  
"I think lilies would be beautiful don't you think?"  
  
"Lilies are nice," she nodded, "I like that."  
  
"Great," she smiled, "I can't tell you enough how happy I am for you."  
  
Stephanie forced a smile on her face, "Me too. So happy."  
  
"I'm so glad that you two are getting married," Vince interrupted, "My little girl getting married."  
  
Hunter smirked, "I like to think she made a good choice."  
  
"The best choice," she told him, squeezing his hand.  
  
Hunter smiled at her. The transformation she had undergone once Chris was out of the picture was incredible. She was kind, sweet, and attentive to him now, and he couldn't ask for anything more. He was so happy he had gotten in on that plan and had ousted that bastard Jericho from his and Stephanie's life. It was about time he came first in her life.  
  
He leaned over to kiss her and Stephanie let him kiss her, though she wasn't as involved in it as he was. She pulled away as he smiled against her lips, giving her one more small kiss before pulling away completely. She gave him a strained smile and then took her champagne glass and took another sip, loving that comforting feeling of the alcohol slipping down her throat.  
  
"I think we should have a toast," Vince said as everyone raised their glasses, though Stephanie's was considerably lower than everyone else's, "To Stephanie and Hunter, for a long and happy marriage!"  
  
"Here, here," Hunter said.  
  
They all clinked glasses and Stephanie brought up her half-empty glass to her lips and drank from the glass. She downed the rest of the champagne in one gulp, almost slamming the glass down in frustration. She managed not to, and set her glass down gently, a waiter over immediately to refill her empty glass. Thank God for good service, she thought to herself.  
  
"We sent out the invitations today," Hunter told Vince and Linda, "That way everyone has enough time to know not to schedule anything on our wedding day."  
  
"Smart idea," Linda said.  
  
"Yeah, we thought so," Stephanie said, taking more sips from her champagne.  
  
"You ok?" Hunter whispered to her as Linda and Vince were talking about the invitations.  
  
"Yup," she said, "Why wouldn't I be ok?"  
  
"No reason, you just don't look happy to be here," he told her.  
  
"Well, it would've been nice if you had asked me before making plans for dinner with my mom and dad," she said to him.  
  
"I thought you would want to."  
  
"You still could've asked."  
  
"That's not the point, I just wanted you to ask instead of just assume that I wouldn't have plans or something," she answered testily.  
  
"What plans? Who would you even go out with?"  
  
She got a hurt look on her face and Hunter immediately chastised himself for being so glib with her. He caressed her cheek softly, apology in his eyes. Stephanie was reminded again, that he was the only one she had now and kissed him soundly on the mouth.  
  
"I'm glad you made plans," she told him, "Better than sitting at home right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
Chris walked into his house, Christian, Edge and Dawn Marie close on his heels. They had just gotten back from dinner and were going over to Chris's to have a beer and watch a movie. Edge, Christian, and Dawn walked into the living room, going to look through Chris's DVD collection and find something to watch. Chris had told them he'd be there in a minute, he just wanted to check his mail.  
  
He leafed through the bills and junk mail until he saw a thin, white envelope that had fancy calligraphy writing on the front of it. He set the rest of his mail down and took the envelope. He fingered it for a second, wondering what it could hold inside. He opened it up and immediately wished he had pitched it in the trash.  
  
It was an invitation to the nuptials of one Hunter Hearst Helmsley to Stephanie Marie McMahon. He scoffed as her read the invitation. The wedding from hell, that was what was going to be going down with those two. It sure as hell wouldn't be a joyous occasion, not with those two involved. This would be one wedding he would not be attending. Not even the promise of seeing Stephanie get out of his life for good would be worth sitting through this bullshit.  
  
He was about to toss the envelope and invitation when he saw a slip of white binder paper peeking out of the envelope. He didn't want to look, but the curiosity got to him and he set the invitation down as he took the envelope only and took the piece of paper out. It was folded a few times and he opened it to look at the writing clearly.  
  
Chris,  
  
I don't expect you to come. I don't even know if I want you to come. Just stay out of my life from now on. I have Hunter, and he loves me. He never betrayed me like you did, you asshole. He never took advantage of me like you did. I don't know what the fuck I did to you, but if you fucking think for a second I'll pine after you, you've got another fucking thing coming to you. You may have gotten to see my body once, but if you think that you'll see it again, you're sorely mistaken. Fuck off Chris Jericho, stay out of my fucking life, and when I kiss Hunter after we're married, I'll be sure to mouth a hearty 'fuck you' to wherever you happen to be. So Chris, my final revenge to you, my final crescendo will be to marry the one man you hate with a passion.  
  
Fucked you once, won't fuck you twice, have a miserable life asshole,  
  
Stephanie  
  
Chris crumpled up the note angrily and threw it across the room, letting it hit the wall and fall to the floor. That fucking bitch! He took her wedding invitation and ripped it into a million pieces, letting them fall to the floor absently. He hated her! He hated her so much he practically had to swallow the hatred as it rose to a fever pitch in his throat.  
  
"Chris, are you ok?" Dawn asked as she saw him, fists clenched and face red.  
  
He turned to her, and almost snapped at her, but managed to contain himself, "Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"You look upset."  
  
"No, not upset, just dandy," he lied.  
  
"Ok," she said, unconvinced, but letting the subject drop, "What happened in here? There's all this paper on the ground."  
  
She bent down to help him pick it up, but he stopped her, "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it later."  
  
"Are you sure, it's a mess?"  
  
"Trust me, it's something I should take care of myself," he assured her.  
  
"Ok," she complied as he led her into the other room. She glanced back at the fallen shreds of paper and wondered just what had made Chris so angry.  
  
Stephanie stumbled into her house, Hunter on her trail, picking up all the things that were dropping from her purse, which she was currently holding upside down. One too many champagnes had aided her into the state she was now. She tripped and fell into the foyer and laughed as she sat on her ass, looking up at Hunter.  
  
"Ok Steph, baby, let's get you upstairs," Hunter said, holding out his hand to her.  
  
"I'll sleep here," she told him, curling up on the ground.  
  
"I don't think that's the best idea babe," Hunter told her, setting her things down on a side table.  
  
"Are you going to stay with me tonight?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'll stay, I don't think you should be here alone."  
  
"Yay!" she screamed, clapping her hands, "It'll be like a sleepover!"  
  
He laughed, "Yeah, or practice for when we're married."  
  
"Who're you marrying?" she asked innocently.  
  
"You."  
  
"Oh," she said, then furrowed her brow, "You never asked."  
  
Yeah, she was thoroughly drunk, Hunter thought to himself. He really should have monitored her alcohol intake, but he couldn't be her babysitter all the time. He went over to her and lifted her up, taking her in his arms. Her head lolled around, then came to rest on her shoulder lazily.  
  
"I did ask Steph."  
  
"Oh, and I said yes?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"That's nice," she said as he ascended the stairs, "You seem nice."  
  
"Well thanks."  
  
He took her into her bedroom and laid her on the bed. He started to take off her shoes and then her clothes. He wasn't about to take advantage of her right now, so he just changed her into her pajamas, with no protest coming from Stephanie. He changed himself and then got in bed with her.  
  
"Ooh, you're strong," she giggled, "And who said you could undress me?"  
  
"I did."  
  
"Oh," she giggled, "Hunter?"  
  
"You remember my name," he said lightly.  
  
She pouted and he looked at her, wondering what was on her mind. Her mood had turned kind of downtrodden and she buried her head in her pillow, then pulled the covers over herself. It seemed like she was building up her defenses or something. Hunter tucked some hair behind her ear and stared at her.  
  
"What is it Steph?"  
  
She had tears in her eyes, "Why does he hate me?"  
  
"I don't hate you."  
  
"Not you," she said, slapping his chest lightly, "Chris. Why does he hate me?"  
  
Hunter frowned, he didn't want to be talking about Chris, and he snapped, "Because he thinks you're a bitch."  
  
"I'm not a bitch."  
  
"I know you're not, but that bastard couldn't see the truth if it hit him in the head with a steel chair."  
  
She laughed, "Yeah, he's an ass!"  
  
"Yeah," Hunter smirked, "And you don't need him anymore."  
  
"No, I don't!" she yelled, "I don't need you Chris, I don't need you!"  
  
"That's right Steph, you just keep on thinking that." 


	14. Chapter 14

The months passed slowly, deliberately, each day melding into the next day, until she couldn't distinguish any passing of time save for a sunrise and sunset. She felt old, and she shouldn't feel this way. But she had lost her one crutch that kept her being herself. Now she was only what others saw of her, she was only what Hunter wanted her to be.  
  
And so was her life, so was each day that brought her closer to being Mrs. Helmsley. That idea, it wasn't such a bad thing when she really thought about it. She did love Hunter. It wasn't like she was pining after someone else, pining after Chris. She laughed at the idea. She didn't do anything with Chris now except hate him. It was his fault she was in this situation anyways.  
  
She still didn't know what she had done, as strange as that was. She thought that over time, she'd realize whatever mistake it was that she made, but she still didn't have the foggiest idea. But she wasn't going to dwell on it, she and Chris hadn't spoken for four months now, and she didn't think he had any intention of speaking to her ever again. She could live with that. She had lived with that for four months and she could live with it now.  
  
Of course, she'd hate Chris Jericho with every fiber of her being for the rest of her life, but she could live with that too. She'd just send him daggers every time she passed him, and she'd just make his life miserable because she wasn't in it. Not that he'd care, but she'd think it. Think it only, never say or do anything, because Hunter, Hunter didn't like her like that.  
  
She wanted to please Hunter, because he was the only one that loved her, that stood by her. She owed it to him to get married, and she wanted to be with him, if only because he was the only one who wanted to be with her. If that was the situation, she'd take it, and take it she did, changing everything about her. Even that mean temper began to fade, until only bursts of the old Stephanie showed up every now and then.  
  
They were getting married in one month. She had been busy making preparations with her mother, who inputted information on every single aspect of the wedding. You would think she was the one getting married with all the talk she did about the flower arrangements, and the dresses, and the music. But Stephanie just let her take care of it. She knew that this wedding was as much a showcase for her parents as it was a way to show her love for Hunter.  
  
"Hey you."  
  
Speak of the devil, she thought, as she looked up at Hunter, "I thought you had a meeting or something."  
  
"I did, but I skipped it."  
  
"That's not good."  
  
"Whatever," he dismissed, "I wanted to come be with my soon-to-be wife."  
  
"We still have a month."  
  
"We should just get married in Vegas or something."  
  
"I don't think my parents would be pleased with that."  
  
"You're right, I just can't wait until you're Stephanie Helmsley."  
  
She smiled demurely, ducking her head. He was so giddy about it, and she wanted to make him so happy. She looked up and waited for him to kiss her, which she knew he would. She wasn't disappointed as a few seconds later his lips touched hers. She kissed him back, blocking out the rest of the world, and focusing on the one man who loved her.  
  
Chris laughed as Edge recounted the story of what had happened the other night when a bunch of them were driving from one arena to the other. They had gotten a flat tire along the way and the three of them trying to change the tire had caused many a mishap, especially when the spare tire had gone rolling across the highway. Thankfully it was late and they could run across the road to get the runaway tire.  
  
"I can't believe you guys risked your lives for a tire!" Trish exclaimed.  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Chris said, "The road was empty, it wasn't a big deal."  
  
"Yeah, it's not a big deal, not a big deal until you're flattened on the road," Dawn told them, "You need to be more careful."  
  
"Don't worry baby," Edge said, leaning in to kiss her, "We're all safe and sound and nothing happened."  
  
"This time," Dawn muttered.  
  
Chris laughed as Dawn shoved Edge in the arm, causing him to fall dramatically off the bench, dumping him and Dawn on the floor. Everyone started laughing and Dawn blushed and sat up, adjusting her shirt and sitting back down on the bench. Chris chuckled and looked at his watch, seeing that he had a promo coming up soon. He got up and stretched before everyone noticed him standing up.  
  
"Where you going?" Christian asked.  
  
"I have a promo soon," he told them, "I have to work, unfortunately."  
  
"Suck it up," Trish joked.  
  
"Thanks a lot," he said, giving her a look, "Don't you have a match later?"  
  
"Yeah, but not right now, but we can't all be the big man on the show, trying to go after the champion. We're just lowly wrestlers," Christian said, faking a pout.  
  
"Well, little boys and girls, I'm out."  
  
Chris walked out of the room and down to the gorilla and out to the crowd to cut a promo challenging Hunter to the title. Hunter came out to the ring and Chris frowned. Whenever he saw Hunter, he remembered Stephanie, the woman he had all but forgotten over the past several months. He rarely thought about her, and if he did, it was only fleeting. He didn't even care what happened to her.  
  
"You know, it's amazing how the past few months have been," Dawn commented as she watched Chris on the screen.  
  
"You're telling me," Edge said, turning off the television so he could hear, "He's completely changed."  
  
"Yeah, I guess it really was Stephanie who was just making him bad," Trish said, "But have you seen her lately?"  
  
"Oh God, she looks terrible," Torrie piped in, "Her clothes, she looks like my grandma. Not to say I don't find it hilarious, cause I do, but I just have to say she's changed."  
  
"Like we even care about her."  
  
"We don't," Torrie said, "She was just a bitch and she brought Chris down."  
  
"I know, I'm glad he got away from her, they were so bad for each other, he's better now, the way he used to be," Edge said, "I feel like he's really back to his old self."  
  
"I don't think he's talked to Stephanie at all since everything happened," Christian interjected, "Maybe once or twice, but not a lot."  
  
"Yeah," Edge said, "Not even when Stephanie and Hunter announced their engagement."  
  
It was pretty much consensus that Chris was better off now that he wasn't with Stephanie any longer. The minute the friendship from hell had ended, it was like how it used to be, which could only be concluded that Chris and Stephanie were so very wrong around each other. But the terrible twosome was no more, and all was well in the world.  
  
"Which I thought was a little weird," Trish said, "You'd think he'd react some way or another."  
  
"Well, maybe Stephanie was holding something over his head that cause him to stay with her?"  
  
"I don't know, I mean, really it could be anything. Who knows?"  
  
"So who called the meeting and didn't invite me?" Hunter said, walking into the room.  
  
Everyone looked up. They hadn't become friends with Hunter because of the plan, but they had a newfound respect for him, if for no other reason than he stopped Chris and Stephanie from ruining anyone else's lives. Hunter invited himself in and sat down on one of the benches.  
  
"Chris might come in here any minute," Dawn said, "He can't find you in here or he'll suspect something."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Hunter said, winking at her, "He's off at a meeting with Vince. I just came in here to thank you guys for taking Chris off my back."  
  
"Well thanks for taking Stephanie off of ours," Christian said.  
  
"I don't have to deal with that punk anymore, it's great," Hunter told them.  
  
"Well, we're glad you're fiancée isn't a heinous bitch anymore."  
  
Chris walked down the hallways. His meeting with Vince had been short and he had been allowed to leave early. He turned a corner and saw Stephanie standing there, a water bottle in hand. She saw him and looked down, as if she wanted to shrink into the background or something. He looked at her for only a moment before continuing on his way.  
  
Surprisingly, he felt nothing as he passed her. Or if he had felt something, he had promptly pushed it out of his mind. But no, nothing, and that was just fine with him, he was glad to be rid of her actually. He went over to the dressing room where everyone was hanging out and was surprised to hear one voice. Surely that voice was coming from somewhere else and not from the dressing room where all his friends were.  
  
He walked slowly to the room, careful not to make a sound and put his ear up to the door. The door was thin and he could hear pretty clearly through it. He did hear Hunter's voice in there, but that was impossible. Why would Hunter be in there, he wasn't even friend's with any of his friends.  
  
"I do have to say that the plan was genius."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Edge said, "Perfect way to get them apart."  
  
"You know, I actually didn't think it would work for a while," Dawn admitted.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because they talk to each other so much, you know, I just thought they would figure it all out."  
  
Chris's eyes narrowed as he listened in. What were they talking about? What plan? They couldn't be talking about him could they? He had to listen in more to understand what was going on. He hoped they would reveal whatever it was that they were obviously hiding.  
  
"Yeah, but come on, you know once Chris saw that tape he'd flip out," Christian said.  
  
"Yeah, brilliant work on that tape Hunter, I don't know how you did it."  
  
"You just get Stephanie drunk and she'll say anything," Hunter chuckled, "It wasn't hard for her to say that she had been using Chris."  
  
"I bet she didn't even remember."  
  
"I don't think she did actually."  
  
Chris's face was turning red from the anger that he was feeling. Now he understood what plan they were talking about and he couldn't believe he had been duped. He should've known better. Stephanie had never steered him wrong before, why would she just randomly start? He should've seen this coming, he should've been able to tell it was a plan.  
  
Stephanie had been telling the truth when she said she didn't know what she had done. He felt sick to his stomach as he realized what he had said to her, what he had done to her. He had had sex with her and then just left her. If he had known what had happened, God, she had to have hated him.  
  
He wanted to rush into that room and kill the people who had tried to fool with his life. They had claimed to be his friends, but they had torn him and Stephanie apart. How dare they do that to him and how dare they do that to Stephanie. He thought back to how she had looked earlier. Frumpy, that was the perfect word for it, she looked frumpy. God, Hunter was so to blame for this, and he'd pay.  
  
They'd all pay.  
  
"Chris fell for it hook, line, and sinker," Christian laughed, "I don't think he even questioned it at all."  
  
"Stephanie didn't, he just yelled at her and left."  
  
Chris stood outside and muttered, "You keep thinking that Hunter."  
  
He had to find Stephanie, that was the first thing that came to his mind as he pulled away from the door. He had to find Stephanie and tell her about all of this. He just hoped that she would talk to him. It had been upwards of four months since they had last spoken, and he knew that she might not want to see him. Yet, he had to try, they had to figure something out.  
  
They had to work through this because there were people out there, thinking they had stopped something. But they were going to be so wrong. If anyone wouldn't stand what this was, it was Stephanie. He only hoped that Hunter hadn't corrupted her so much that the old Stephanie had gone away. He needed the old Stephanie, he needed her brains, he needed her power, but most of all....  
  
He needed to plot a little revenge. 


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: I'm glad you guys seemed to enjoy the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy all the fun that's yet to come. ;)  
  
~  
  
Chris pushed himself away from the door. Those fucking assholes had duped him and Stephanie. He had fallen for their lies, completely believing what they had said. He felt like such an idiot. Of course they would steer him wrong. He should've believed Stephanie; she had never lied to him. He had only believed them because they had gotten Stephanie drunk and gotten her to confess something that wasn't even true at all. She was just drunk.  
  
HUNTER had gotten Stephanie drunk.  
  
He clenched his fists and pounded the wall next to him, welcoming the pain that shot through his fist. How dare they think that he could have the wool pulled over his eyes? He thought back to Stephanie, God, how he had hurt Stephanie. She didn't even know what she had done wrong, and now she was some fucking clone or something, a clam inside a shell, only speaking when spoken too, and wearing granny outfits that made her look ninety years old. She was playing some goddamn part, it wasn't even Stephanie at all. She looked terrible all the time, all because of her fiancé.  
  
Wait until Stephanie found out about this.  
  
He stalked down the hallways, looking for Stephanie's locker room, needing to talk to her, right this moment. He didn't have any time to waste, especially because the thoughts that were running through his mind were too good to be kept to himself. He needed someone; he needed his partner-in- crime.  
  
He needed Stephanie.  
  
He found her door at last, and thought about all the apologizing he was going to have to do. It would be worth it, because in the end, he had missed Stephanie. He hadn't let on, didn't want to admit it because he hated her, but he missed her. He pounded on the door, hoping that bastard Hunter come walking up any time soon or Chris might have to kick his ass into a bloody pulp for what he had done. And he would enjoy ever second of beating Hunter's head against the wall.  
  
Stephanie sat there, looking over the wedding plans, still deciding what the centerpieces should be for the reception. Should she get with the lilies or the tulips? The tulips looked quite elegant. She wondered what her mother would think about it, she was the one who wanted everything to be perfect after all. Maybe she should ask Hunter, she was sure he would have an opinion. She didn't want to make the choice by herself, that might upset someone and she didn't want to upset anyone. She just wanted to fall back into the shadows. She looked up blankly as the door practically fell in from the pounding someone was doing on it. She set the binder down and went timidly over to the door.  
  
"Who is it?" she called out quietly.  
  
"Stephanie, it's me, open the door now!" Chris bellowed from the other side.  
  
Stephanie had no clue as to why he would be here. They hadn't talked in months. She opened the door a little and looked out. Chris looked so angry that she almost closed the door again. He had probably found another indiscretion to hold against her and she couldn't take another tirade from him. She hadn't quite gotten over the last one.  
  
"I'm sorry Chris, but I can't talk to you," she told him softly, demurely.  
  
"Stephanie, let me in, I NEED to talk to you," he told her, the fire in his eyes scaring her.  
  
She opened the door further allowing him entrance. He walked in and she closed the door. He stood in the middle of the room, running his hand through his hair. Stephanie stood by the door shyly, not knowing what would bring him here. He turned to her, seeing the scared look in her eyes. He hated this Stephanie. This Stephanie was a fucking coward and he hated her.  
  
He rushed to her and pushed her up against the door roughly. He put both her hands above her head and held them there with one strong hand. She looked at him, mouth agape, actually frightened by him. What the fuck had Hunter done to her, to make her be afraid of the contact that she used to welcome? He put both hands on hers, still above her head and slowly ran them down the sides of her body, eliciting a shudder from her. He moved his hands down slowly until they came to rest on her waist. He leaned in so his mouth was close to her ear, gently blowing her hair back with every breath.  
  
"Miss me Princess?" he said teasingly in a low voice.  
  
That was all Stephanie needed. She heard the tone of his voice, the feel of his touch, and she knew he was back. She finally let the real Stephanie come out, it was time to make a comeback. She smirked to herself and brought her hands down and to his chest, gently teasing the skin that showed under his button down shirt. Then she pushed him off her roughly.  
  
"Where the fuck have you been?" she scowled.  
  
"I've been under the guise of false assumptions," he told her.  
  
"Why the fuck are you here? You're supposed to hate me," she said crossing her arms.  
  
"Oh, I do hate you," he told her, "I hate the person you've become. Look at your fucking outfit Stephanie, you look like an old woman."  
  
She looked down at her dress. It was true. She had on a long skirt that went down to her feet, and penny loafers. And then the stupid blouse that covered everything, she hated her outfit too. In retaliation she unbuttoned her blouse until her cleavage showed through. She looked up to see Chris smirk.  
  
"Better?"  
  
"Much, but that skirt and shoes, so not you."  
  
"We'll see what we can do about it, but there are questions that need to be asked," she told him, "Now why the change of heart?"  
  
"I've found out things," he told her, sitting down on the arm of the couch.  
  
"What things," she said, as she rolled up her skirt, revealing more and more leg as she went along.  
  
"We've been tricked."  
  
"Us?" she asked, "There is no us."  
  
"Astute," he said, rolling her eyes, "Very smart that you realized that, but have you realized just why there is no us?"  
  
"You hate me, for something I don't even fucking know that I did," she said, forgoing the skirt altogether and just dropping it to the ground, now standing in her bikini cut underwear and her partially unbuttoned blouse.  
  
Chris took her in, giving her a nice once-over before going back to look at her eyes, "The assholes thought they had us. They almost did, but the best way to avoid getting caught is to not talk about your plans where others can hear."  
  
"Number one rule," she shrugged, "Still not following you."  
  
"I just overheard something very interesting."  
  
"Don't keep me waiting," she said, crossing her arms and looking at him crossly.  
  
"Take off the shirt," he told her, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Skin in exchange for information," she said, acting as if she was contemplating it, even while she was unbuttoning the rest of her blouse, "You drive a hard bargain Chris Jericho."  
  
She let her shirt drop to the floor and Chris smiled at her, "Now that's the Stephanie I like to see."  
  
"Yeah, even though you've seen more right."  
  
"Yes, but as I recall, that's all I'll ever see right, I believe it was you who said, 'fucked me once, won't fuck me twice,' or was that someone else?"  
  
"Your luck may change, but that depends on what it is you need to tell me."  
  
"First off," Chris said, loving the teasing that he had all but given up to memories and memories only, "You still marrying that asshole?"  
  
"That 'asshole' is the only person I have left," she said defensively, "Since some people decided that I wasn't worthy of their time."  
  
"I told you, it wasn't my fault."  
  
"Then whose fault was it?" she asked.  
  
"I can name names for you if you like."  
  
"Do it."  
  
"Edge, Christian, Dawn, Torrie, Trish, Kurt, Brock....."  
  
"Fuck them," she muttered.  
  
"Hunter," he finished, then looked up at Stephanie.  
  
She was stunned, too stunned to properly react. Now Chris was just spouting lies. He had to be spouting lies, there was no way that Hunter had anything to do with her and Chris being separated. Sure, he hated Chris and he had hated when Stephanie and Chris were friends, but he wouldn't, surely he wouldn't do anything to take away her best friend.  
  
She wasn't going to stand for him talking about Hunter like that. Hadn't it been Hunter, and not Chris, who had stood by her? Hadn't it been Hunter who proposed and promised to keep her secure for the rest of her life? Now Chris barges in here, after four months of silence, telling her the reason he hadn't been around was because of her fiancé, the man who loved her. Her anger reached it's fever pitch and she erupted.  
  
"Fuck you!" she screamed, lunging at him and hitting his chest with her closed fists, "How dare you imply that Hunter did anything to me!"  
  
"It's true Stephanie!" he said, grabbing her wrists and holding her back, "It's true!"  
  
"No, how dare you! I hate you, you've done nothing but be an ass to me for the past four months and Hunter, he's been so good to me, he loves me!"  
  
"Stephanie, did you tell him that you used me the whole time we were friends?"  
  
"What?" she asked, confused, "I don't remember saying that."  
  
"One night, you were drunk, and you wanted sex," he shuddered, thinking about her and Hunter having sex, "And to get you to confess he got you drunk, you said that you had used me from the very beginning."  
  
She wracked her brain, "Yeah, I vaguely remember that night, but I was joking around...how do YOU know what I said?"  
  
"He taped it and sent me the tape," Chris said bitterly.  
  
She shook her head, "No, Hunter wouldn't do that!"  
  
"Wouldn't he Stephanie?"  
  
She looked up at him and looked into his eyes. Chris had never lied to her before and as she looked into his eyes she saw the truth. Hunter had lied and manipulated her, and then he had fucking set her up to take the fall with Chris. Chris had a tape, Chris had seen something that was false. Everything became so clear to her that she took a step back, pulling from Chris's grasp.  
  
"Fucking asshole!" she screeched, her anger now directed away from Chris and onto Hunter, where it should've been all along for the both of them.  
  
"I know," Chris said, "They all fucking set this up to get us away from each other, because we made their lives hell."  
  
She was breathing heavily, "I have been miserable for four months and all because of Hunter, and those fucking cronies of his. Oh fuck no, I won't stand for this."  
  
"There's the Stephanie I know," Chris smirked.  
  
"Oh, it's on now," Stephanie said, "They thought they could honestly get away with this. Make me look like a fool and make you look like some goddamn goody-two-shoes. Not in this lifetime."  
  
"I'm so glad to have you back," Chris said, taking her in his arms.  
  
"It's good to be back," she whispered as she looked up at him, "So good."  
  
"I know that you have something on your mind," he told her, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I do, and it involves every single one of those people who thought they could mess with us and win."  
  
"So we're thinking of the ultimate plan now, are we?"  
  
"Yes," she told him, "One that will blow them all out of the water."  
  
"I love the way you think."  
  
She bit her lip, which slowly turned into an evil grin as she regarded him. She ran her hands underneath his shirt, rubbing his stomach playfully. He smirked down at her. The lust was still there, the teasing still fun, even though they had slept with each other. That was so long ago though, that it was almost just a daydream and never really happened.  
  
Stephanie leaned into Chris as he stared down at her cleavage, which had been hidden for the past four months and which he had missed gazing at lustily. She smirked up at him, knowing just what he was looking at. He took his eyes off of her breasts and looked into her eyes.  
  
"Like what you see?"  
  
"I've missed them."  
  
"Oh, they've missed you," she told him, "But right now, we have bigger things to worry about."  
  
"Bigger than your tits?" he kidded.  
  
"Yes, even bigger," she said.  
  
"What's on your mind Stephanie McMahon?"  
  
"One word."  
  
"Enlighten me."  
  
"Revenge." 


	16. Chapter 16

A/N:  At the beginning of the following chapters, the italics are a conversation that was had in the past, that's why it's italics, so kind of think of them as a voice over to the rest of the chapter. :)

Enjoy the revenge. :D

~

_"Dawn and Edge?"_

_"I've got something in mind for them.  I think that it's time for them to get a rude awakening."_

Chris walked down the hallway happily.  Today was the day it would begin.  He and Stephanie had had a long, long talk the other night and ironed things out.  There was only one person they were having trouble with getting back at, but the time to think of a plan for that one would come soon.

He and Stephanie were going about their business as if nothing had happened.  That was the only way all of this would work.  So he was back to being the good-two-shoes, and she was back being the quiet, little, shy girl that he despised.  But when he passed her and she winked, he knew that she was back, and back for good.

"Chris!" Edge called from up ahead, Dawn on his back.

Chris smiled in their direction, "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Nothing, just being bored before the show," Dawn said, "Tonight, Edge and I get to officially be a couple."

"That's great," Chris grinned, though if you looked closely you could see a more sinister side to that grin.

"Have we thanked you enough for getting us this storyline?" Edge asked, "Because we really do want to thank you, we've been trying to get on-screen together for a long time."

"Don't worry about it," he told them, "It was the least I could do."

"Well, we were on our way to catering, but we'll talk later," Dawn said, as Edge ran down the hallway, Dawn laughing as she rode on his back.

Chris's grin turned definitively evil as he turned away from them.  They would have no clue what the hell was going on.  And when the time came to drop the bomb on them, they would never know what hit them.  He laughed a bit to himself and went on to his dressing room for the evening.  Upon arrival, he noticed a small note tucked neatly under the door.  He picked it up quickly and went inside to read it, locking the door behind him.  He unfolded the paper and saw Stephanie's neat writing on it:__

_Chris, I set up the list for the evening, that girl's name will be on there, so don't worry.  I slipped into your room and left the cash, it should be more than enough to persuade her to do her job.  Don't forget to be as incognito as humanly possible._

_Stephanie_

He tore up the note immediately, not wanting anyone to see it and realize what they were doing.  He threw away the remnants into the garbage can.  He would've burned them, but that would cause way too much suspicion.  He went over to his bag and looked inside.  Sitting on top of his wrestling attire was a simple white envelope.  Grabbing the leather gloves he had brought, he picked up the envelope and looked inside.

He saw a neat stack of crisp, new hundred dollar bills.  He smirked to himself, wondering what Stephanie had to go through to get this cash.  He took the stack of bills out and counted it quickly.  It was over two thousand dollars, probably not even enough to make a dent in her bank account, though he did wonder what she would say to compensate for the loss, if anyone ever realized what it was for.  He imagined that she'd say it was for shopping or some other cockamamie story.

He put the money back in the envelope and went to grab another duffel bag he had brought with him for their special little plan tonight.  He picked it up and stuck the envelope in it.  He needed to move to be on time at the meeting place where he was meeting their special guest for the night.  He walked outside quickly, keeping his things tucked to his side, not drawing attention to himself.  Once outside, he went into a little alcove to change.

He pulled out a pair of black slacks, and slipped them on.  He changed his shoes to a pair of loafers with indistinguishable shoe treads.  He and Stephanie had thought of everything.  He buttoned up his black shirt and then pulled his hair back into a neat ponytail, before tucking it into the beanie he was wearing.  He put his regular clothes into his duffel bag and hid it next to the dumpster.  He picked up his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Stephanie's number.

Stephanie had been sitting, looking over the catalogue for wedding favors.  Hunter was sitting next to her, studying a match of some sort, probably preparing.  She bit her lip, not wanting anything smartass to come to her mind, lest she let loose a string of curse words towards the man who betrayed her.  She was saved from that fate as her cell phone rang.  Hunter went to pick it up, but Stephanie was quicker and picked it up first.

"I would've answered it," Hunter said gruffly.

How had she not realized how much he was controlling her earlier?  She could tell by his tone of voice that he didn't think she should even be answering the phone.  She was about a second away from hitting him over the head with the phone until a pretty little crimson stream of blood trickled down his face.  She smiled sweetly instead.

"I didn't want to disrupt you while you're so engrossed in your match," she said, her voice calm and serene.

"Well thanks," he said, not realizing she was putting on an act.

She answered the phone and brought it up to her ear, "Hello?"

"Stephanie, it's me."

"Oh, hello," Stephanie said, her voice still sweet.

"He's there huh?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Ok, well, I'll make this short then," he started, "I'm dressed and I'm ready to go.  I'm going to the rendezvous spot agreed upon last night.  So basically I have to meet up with her, and then we sit back and watch the show."

"Oh yes, thank you for calling, I will definitely take that into consideration."

"Ok, I'll see you later."

"Bye," Stephanie said, then hung up the phone.  Before she set it down, she quickly erased the number from the call log, in case Hunter should look at the numbers of people who called.  She wouldn't put it past him to do something like that, if his dumb mind had even thought of it in the first place.

"Who was it?"

"Oh, it was just the wedding planner," Stephanie answered, such a cool liar she was, "She wanted to suggest the swans for the table decoration, but I wasn't sure if I liked those, but I wanted to appease her."

"Oh," Hunter laughed, "I don't know if I want a bird on the tables."

"Don't worry about it sweets, I'll make sure everything is perfect," she smiled and kissed him softly, having to hold back the bile rising up in her as she kissed him.  He was such a snake.

Chris walked out of the alcove, glancing around quickly.  He went to his rental car.  Not the one he had come in this evening, but the one that Stephanie had specially dropped off for him, so nobody would see it and realize it was him.  Not to mention it wouldn't be traced to him if things went sour.  It wouldn't be registered to Stephanie either, but to Hunter, another of Stephanie's little plans.

He drove through the streets to the designated spot.  He and Stephanie had pre-scouted the area, trying to find the perfect woman for their little stunt.  When they found her, they told her to meet him there the next night, which she agreed to do.  The power of money overrode anything else.  Of course, they had been in disguise last night, but the girl didn't have to know that.

Chris found the place and parked his car a few blocks away, opting to walk there instead.  He put his sunglasses on and started walking, checking around every once in a while to make sure there were no cops around, or anyone else rather suspicious.  He found the alley where he had told the girl to meet them, and found her leaning against the wall.

"Good, you made it," Chris rasped, changing his voice.

"Ya told me to," the girl drawled, "Though I don't know why I came back, you and that chick yous was with were weird."

"Don't worry about her, you won't see her," he said, "And I believe you came back because I promised you a good deal of money."

"Yeah, you did," she said, smacking her gum, "So what do you want?  Sex, or just a job right here?  I don't do nothing kinky if that's what you're into, I do have standards, even for a hooker."

"No, this isn't for me," he said, "In fact, this has nothing to do with you sleeping with anyone."

"What kind of weird shit are you into?" the girl asked, starting to walk away.

"Nothing, it's simply a matter of revenge," he told her, "I want revenge on a couple of people I know."

"Oh," she said, "And what do you want me to do exactly?"

"There's this guy, I need you to go there and pretend like you slept with him."

"But I didn't."

"No, but you have to make it believable."

Chris had taken Edge out last night, before his little adventure with Stephanie.  Edge had gotten pretty drunk and ended up staying in Chris's room, because he couldn't remember what room he and Dawn were in and she didn't like seeing him drunk.  Of course, that was all part of Chris's plan, but what Edge didn't know wouldn't hurt him.  And as soon as Edge was out cold, Chris left the room, going to see Christian for his alibi as to where his whereabouts were.  He and Stephanie didn't go out until four in the morning, when everyone they knew would be asleep.  He and Stephanie had thought this through to the very last second.

"Ok, I can do that, but what's in it for me?"

Chris took the money out of his back pocket and handed her the envelope.  She looked into it quickly and counted it.  Her eyes widened as she realized just how much cash she was looking at.  She quickly tucked it into her jacket and smiled up at him.

"Ok, I'm in, so what do I have to do?" she asked.

"Be persistent, if he says he didn't do it, then you just keep saying he did, don't let up.  Here are a few details.  He was in room 768, and he was wearing black leather pants and a purple button up shirt.  He had about six beers and then a couple of mini-vodka bottles in the hotel room."

"Ok, and where should I go to do this?"

"You know the arena around here?"

"Yeah, I do," she nodded, "You in there?"

"Yeah, he's in there, your name will be on the list to get in if they ask, we planned this.  The guy's name is Edge and his girlfriend's name is Dawn Marie.  To prove you were with him, he has a birthmark on his inner thigh."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"When you plot revenge, you find out every weakness," Chris said, "As soon as I leave, head over there."

"Sounds good, so you gots a guy named Edge, which I don't think'll be too hard to find, and then Dawn, and then a birthmark, leather pants, purple shirt, room 768.  I can do that."

"Thanks, my partner and I appreciate this."

"And I appreciates this," she replied, patting her jacket where the money was stuffed.

Chris nodded and walked quickly out of the alley and back to his car.  He drove to the airport to drop off his car, throwing away the beanie and the gloves.  He took a cab back to the arena and got out, going back to the alcove to change again.  He then walked back into the arena, a big smile on his face as if nothing had happened.  Chris went back to his dressing room and threw his stuff inside, then started walking around the hallways, waiting for the show.

Vy, as her hooker name went, walked through the hallways, looking for Edge.  She asked a couple of people where she could find him, and nobody thought the different of her or even suspected anything.  Finally she asked someone who pointed directly to him and she saw he was with some brunette who she gathered to be Dawn.  She licked her lips and started walking towards the couple who were talking quietly to each other.

"Edge!" she called out, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

Edge turned slightly, seeing a woman calling out his name, "Um, excuse me, do I know you?"

"Of course you know me," Vy said, coming over to stand with him, "You mean you don't remember me at all?"

"Was I supposed to give you an autograph?"

"No," she drawled out seductively, "Don't you remember last night?"

Chris turned the corner, hearing someone call out for Edge.  He saw the three of them on the other side of the hallway and stopped there, leaning against the wall, the schedule in his hands.  He started reading it, or pretending to read it rather, so he could listen in on the conversation.  This should turn out to be good, he could already see Dawn looking suspiciously at Edge.  She had known exactly where he was last night because he had made sure that Edge had called Dawn to tell her that he was sleeping in Chris's room last night.

"What about last night?" Dawn asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Edge and I were together last night, weren't we Edge?"

"I've never seen you before in my life," Edge protested.

Vy ran a hand down his bare chest, "I'm hurt baby, you said last night was an experience you'd never forget."

"Edge, what the hell did you do last night?" Dawn demanded.

"I went out with Chris and then crashed at his room."

"Yeah, that's right," Vy said, "Except he crashed with me, over and over and over."

"I did not!  I was with Chris last night."

"You were not, you were all alone in room 768," Vy said, "I should know, because that's where you told me to meet you."

"Ok, that was the room," Edge said, seeing Dawn glare at him, "But you weren't there last night, nothing happened, I swear."

"Dawn," she said, "He told me your name, said something about how she's not interesting in bed, well……….."

"You said that!" Dawn screamed.

"No, I didn't say anything, I don't know who you are!" Edge protested, pushing Vy off of him as she tried to grab his hand.

"Yes you do, maybe it's a little fuzzy because you had a lot to drink.  He had like six beers and then broke open some vodka in the bedroom," she said.

"How do you know that!?!" Edge said, running in his through his hair in frustration, "I swear on my life, I don't know who she is Dawn, I would never cheat on you.  She has to be lying."

"How can she be lying if she knows what room you were in!!!" Dawn said, slapping Edge, "And she knew how much you drank!!!"

"Oh, and I know about the birthmark on his inner thigh."

Dawn's nostrils flared and her eyes turned fiery.  Edge looked absolutely stricken, glancing from the girl to Dawn and the girl again.  Dawn screamed and lunged herself at Edge, screaming obscenities at him as she tried to hit him repeatedly.  Edge tried to defend himself, but he had a hard time stopping Dawn's fists from connecting with his body.  He grabbed her wrists to stop her assault, but then she used her heeled feet to kick him in the shins.  He yelped in pain and tried to move out of her direct line of fire.  

"How could you!?!" she screamed, starting to draw a crowd around them.

"Dawn, I swear, I didn't sleep with her!" Edge said, trying to pry the brunette off of him.

"You liar, you fucking liar," Dawn yelled, angry tears coming to her eyes, "You bastard, I hate you!"

"Chris, where's Chris?  He knew I was in the room all night and not with any lady last night, he was with me," Edge pleaded, looking around desperately for Chris, whom he spotted at the end of the hall, "Chris!!!"

Chris looked up innocently from the schedule and looked over in their general direction, "Yeah?"

"Tell Dawn where I was last night."

Chris walked over slowly, "He was with me last night, I took him to my room to let him crash there."

"See?" Edge said, "I couldn't have been with this woman because I was with Chris."

"Yeah, but after you laid down on the bed, I left," Chris pointed out.

"You what?!?" Edge said, "No, no, you were there, you had to be there."

"I went over to Christian's room for a couple of hours," Chris told them.

"It's true," Christian said, emerging from the crowd, "Chris was in my room while we hung out with Torrie and Trish, they can vouch for the time."

"So you had a fucking couple of hours to sleep with this whore!" Dawn shouted.

"Hey, ease up on the language please," Vy told her.

"Shut up!  Edge, I hate you, you fucking betrayed me, and you told me that all you did was sleep.  How could you humiliate me like this?  You don't deserve me, I hope you rot in hell forever!" she screamed, walking away.

"Well, sweetie, I guess this means you don't want my number," Vy said to Edge.

"Just go away," Edge snapped, "I don't even fucking remember who you are."

"Too bad," she said, then walked away, "Look me up sometime if you remember my name."

Edge slumped down on the floor, running his hands through his hair repeatedly, trying to make sense of what had happened.  Chris looked down at him, a fake look of pity on his face.  He looked up and across the crowd from him, he saw Stephanie.  He tried to appear nonchalant as he looked into her eyes, but he could see, even from the distance, the little sliver of victory in her eyes.  He smirked ever so slightly at her before she blinked slowly, licked her lips and turned to walk away.

And so it began, but it was far from over.


	17. Chapter 17

_"What about Trish?"_

_"You let me take care of Trish, ok Steph, because I know just how to handle her."_

"I just don't know what happened," Edge moped around.  His eyes were red from crying and his hair uncombed.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have slept with that chick," Christian scolded.

Edge looked up and addressed him sharply, "I didn't sleep with that woman!"

"But she knew so much about that night.and about you," Christian pointed out.

Chris just sat back and watched.  Who knew that Christian would be such a big help to him?  He was bringing all the guilt onto Edge that he didn't eve need to.  It was a few days since the incident and Edge and Dawn were still not speaking, and Dawn had no motivation to because she hated Edge.  It was perfect.

"Look, I don't know how she knew, but I DO know that I never slept with her.  I just want Dawn back."

"Keep dreaming bro."

"Why don't we get the gang together tonight and go out and have fun?" Chris said, speaking up for the first time.

"Why?" Edge asked.

"Because I'm sick of seeing you mope around.  You need to lighten up."

"I'll lighten up when I get Dawn back."

"He's right," Christian said, "We should go out.  It'll be fun and it'll get your mind off of Dawn."

"Fine, fine."

"I'll go ask the girls," Chris volunteered.  It wasn't just to be nice.  He had to make sure that Trish showed up tonight.  The plan was dependent on it.

"He walked down to the women's locker room, smiling to himself.  Life was good.  The plan was in full swing and he had Stephanie back.  They were still having a bit of difficulty coming up with revenge for Hunter.  It had to be spectacular.

He arrived at the locker room and knocked lightly.  Dawn answer and she looked just as bad as Edge did.  Her eyes were bloodshot and she had an almost hopeful look in her eye.  Probably thought it would be Edge begging for forgiveness.  He would make sure that didn't happen.  He put on some sympathetic airs and looked at Dawn, pretending like he actually cared what happened to her.  In actuality, he cared very little about any of these people.  They deserved everything they got and then some.

"How are you holding up Dawn?" Chris said, exhibiting his great acting ability by showing sympathy for Dawn.

"I'm ok," she said, "I'm just glad I got out of the relationship before it got really bad."

"That's a good way of thinking of it."

"So what did you want?"

"Actually, I was wondering if all the girls were here?"

"Yeah, pretty much everyone is here," she said, "You want to come in?"

"Thanks," he said, stepping inside and seeing all the girls sitting around talking, "Hey everyone."

"Hey Chris," Torrie said, "What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if you guys wanted to come out with Edge Christian, and I tonight.  We're just going to go have a few drinks and stuff, you know, just relax after work."

"Count me out," Dawn said quickly.  She didn't even want to be near Edge right now, or for the rest of her life.

"Oh yeah, well, you don't have to come Dawn," Chris said, "How about the rest of you ladies?"

"Yeah, I'm in," Torrie said, "Come on Trish, come with us, I don't want to be the only girl."

"Yeah, fine, I can skip my book reading for a few drinks," she laughed, "But you better guarantee me a good time Chris."

Chris smirked, "Oh, don't you worry Trish, I'll give you a great time."

"See you after the show Chris," Torrie called out.

"Uh huh."

He walked out of the room.  Everything was going so perfectly.  He knew there would come a day when they might hit a snag with their plans, but they were so ready for it, and their prey so unprepared for what was in store.  He didn't see how he and Stephanie could fail.  He looked around, seeing if he was being followed and snuck into a dark room, locking the door behind him.

"You better be in here," he whispered.

"You know I am," came her husky voice.

"Where the hell are you?"

"Can't you tell just by hearing my voice?"

"No, so come out, come out wherever you are," he baited her.

He wasn't even expecting it, though he should've.  Stephanie pushed him up against the door and he smirked, though she couldn't see it since the room was pitch black.  He felt her take her hands and run them down his chest and to the top of his pants, teasing him by pulling at his belt buckle.

"Horny are we?"

"Mmm, planning makes me hot," she whispered sexily into his ear.

"What else makes you hot?"

"Seeing people get what's coming to them."

"Oh, I like that too, so do I get anything for my hard work?"

He felt her lips slowly moving down his jaw, not even kissing him any more than she was just dragging them.  She reached his chin and stopped.  Her breath was warm against his face and it was almost as if he were breathing in her breaths.  He put his hands on her hips, wondering what she was going to do next.

"Tell me what you're going to do with Trish and maybe you will," she said, kissing his chin softly.

"But that would ruin our fun."

"No, it would make things even more fun."

"Trust me Steph, you'll love what I have for her.  Love."

"Ok, fine, don't tell me, just tell me what I have to do to help you."

"I'm going to need a camera."

"A camera?" Stephanie said, "I'm staring to like this plan, whatever it is."

"Can you get me one?"

"Of course, the best one I can find," she said, "When do you need it by?"

"Tonight, a couple of hours."

"Done," she said, "I'll leave now, I've got some cash on me."

"Good, now get out of here, and meet me later tonight, around three, can you get out then?"

"Of course, Hunter's asleep by eleven.  Stupid bastard, can't even stay up.  He's such a fucking pussy I swear."

"I know," he told her, "Now let's get out of here."

"You first."

He put his ear up to the door and listened.  He couldn't hear anything and stuck his head out of the room, glancing in both directions, nobody was around so he snuck out.  He walked down the hallway, preparing himself for a fun and entertaining evening.  He just had to play his part perfectly.

He came back from his match later that evening and found a plastic bag with a camera in his bag.  He tucked it away into his stuff, he'd just have to break that out later.  He noticed some of his other things were out of place and could just see Stephanie rooting through his things trying to figure out what he was up to.

"Chris, you ready?" Christian asked on the other side of the door.

"Give me like ten minutes!" he called out, needing a shower and a change of clothes.

Ten minutes plus several more, and they were on their way to a club.  Chris had driven by himself, saying that it was better this way in case he wanted to go early, since he was the only one who had a long match that evening.  Actually, he wasn't tired, he just needed to look like he was going to leave alone.

It didn't take long for Trish to get drunk.  He knew her drinking habits.  She seemed like a nice girl, but when it came down to it, she was anything but nice, he might even call her a drunk.  She drank a lot and then she'd tell him the next day that she wouldn't remember anything that had happened the previous night.  Chris had tucked that particular tidbit away, and it was going to come back and bite Trish in the ass later on.  By the time she was on her fifth drink, she was dancing on top of the table, teasing that she was going to take her shirt off.

"You guys, I'm going to head out," Chris called out across the dance floor to Christian and Torrie, "I'm beat."

"Why don't you take Trish?" Torrie said.

"You know she won't come with me," he told them, "She's too stubborn when she's drinking."

"True," Christian sighed, glancing over at Trish, "She'll probably ask for a ride from us later or get some guy to drive her."

"You trust her with a guy?"

"No, but it's her life, she should learn from her mistakes," Christian said.

Chris nodded, if he didn't know any better, he would've thought Christian was actually in on the plan, instead of an unknowing participant in his and Stephanie's twisted little game.  He shrugged to them and said goodbye, walking out of the club and to his car.  He grabbed a bag out of the backseat and ran into a nearby restaurant that was open, going straight to the bathroom.  Inside, he changed his wardrobe and tucked his hair into a wig of brown hair.  He put some sunglasses on and walked out of the stall.  

He looked at the mirror and saw a completely different person staring back at him.  If he couldn't recognize himself, there was no way Trish would recognize him.  He left the restaurant and went back to his car to throw his things in.  After doing that, he was back in the club, looking around.  Trish was no off the table and leaning against a wall, sipping another drink.  He strode purposefully over to her.

"What're you doing all by yourself?" he said huskily, deepening his voice.

"No boys like to play with me," she said coyly, "Do you like to play?"

"Yes, I do," he told her, "I love to play with pretty girls like you."

"I like having sex," she giggled.

"You don't say?"

She nodded innocently, "It's true.  I wouldn't tell you, but I've had too much to drink.  But shh.don't take advantage of me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Chris said, laughing, "I would like to take you back to my hotel room and show you a good time though."

"Is there alkie hol there?" she laughed, "Alkie hol, I meant to say alcohol."

"Of course there's alcohol, what fun is a party without alcohol."

"You're right," she said, seriously, furrowing her brow, "You wanna take me out of here, it's loud and I can't stand it."

"I'd love to take you out of here."

"Then take me."

He grabbed her hand and she came willingly with him.  She was so drunk, she wouldn't say no.  And no, he was not going to have sex with her.  He didn't even want to know what kind of things she was carrying around with her.  They probably weren't pretty.  They got to his car and he helped her in.  In her drunken state, she wouldn't recognize the car or him for that matter.

He drove back to the hotel, a different one from the one everyone else was staying at.  Fewer trails that way.  He led her up to his room, that he had registered under an alias so that she wouldn't be able to tell who was staying here.  And he had paid cash for the room, so there would be no money trail to seek him afterwards.  She stumbled into the room, struggling to take off her dress.

"God, what a whore," Chris muttered.  She didn't even know his name.

Trish was already naked as Chris closed the door.  He rolled his eyes and set his bag down by the door where she wasn't likely to see it.  Not that she'd remember any of this anyways.  She would always black out anyways.  He took out the camera, laughing to himself and set it on the table.

"Ooh, a camera," Trish said, "I like pictures, take my picture!"

"Naked?"

"Uh huh," she said, "I like it like that."

"Kinky."

This girl was too dense for words.  She was falling right into the trap.  He wasn't about to force her to do anything, but his knowledge of Trish afforded him the comfort of knowing she'd be up for anything.  He just grabbed the camera and she fell against the bed.  He rolled his eyes.  Her nakedness didn't affect him in the slightest, he had seen much prettier woman.

She was posing in some provocative poses for him and he just snapped away.  Stephanie had gotten a Polaroid camera, she must've had some inkling as to what he was going to do.  She was a smart one, that one was.  He was so glad she was back to being a conniving bitch, even if he was the only one that knew about it.  He took about a dozen pictures of Trish before she ran to the bathroom to throw up.  Grabbing the pictures and his bag, he left to wait up for Stephanie.

Around 3:15, there was a knocking on his door and he got up to answer it.  Stephanie waltzed in as soon as he had opened the door.  She was wearing silk pajamas, a deep crimson color and her hair was down, flowing past her shoulders.  Her face was free of makeup and he smiled, seeing her for the first time in her sleepwear.

"Nice pajamas."

"Shove it," she said, "I couldn't risk Hunter waking up."

"I know, but I like seeing you like this," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Good," she told him, "Now let me see the pictures."

"Do you know what they're of?"

"Of course, don't think I'm stupid Chris.  I want the most humiliating one there is."

"They're all pretty incriminating."

"Did it go off without a hitch?"

"Perfectly, she really is a little slut," he laughed, "Practically had her begging me for sex."

"Surprise, surprise," Stephanie said snottily.

"I know, I told you how she was.  She just doesn't even know she's that bad," he told her.

He grabbed the pictures and threw them on the bed.  Stephanie picked one up and laughed at it.  The poses Trish was in were pretty funny.  Stephanie could see where Chris was coming from when he said Trish was begging for it.  She picked out a few and her and Chris laughed over them.

"I can't believe you had to see her naked," Stephanie said, "I feel for you."

"Yeah, but I just pictured you naked the entire time," he told her, leering in her direction.

"I look better than she does naked, don't I?"

"Are you kidding me?" Chris said, "There's not even a comparison.  You are so much sexier than Trish could ever aspire to be."

Stephanie smiled, genuinely for once, "That was nice of you to say."

"I'm only saying it to get you to sleep with me."

"Maybe later.  We need to get photocopies of these," Stephanie said.

"Don't worry, I've got a copier at home," he told her, "In my office, I'll run off a couple hundred and next Monday, Trish will be all over the place, even when she doesn't want to be."

"Good."

Chris came up to Stephanie and brushed her hair over her neck.  He leaned into kiss her neck softly, causing Stephanie to moan softly.  He started unbuttoning her top gently, having it half way open before sliding his hand in between her skin and the soft fabric, caressing her warm skin.

"Chris, not now," she said, "Later."

"Promise?" he whispered, arousal in his voice.

"I do."

"Fine," he said, pulling away, "You better get back to the ass before he notices you're gone."

"See you Monday."

"Bright and early."

"5 am."

"Yup."

The weekend went quickly and it was early Monday morning before Raw.  Stephanie and Chris walked up to the arena, going into one of the entrances with the keys she had gotten from her father.  Or stolen rather, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.  They snuck in, noting the lack of security inside.  They split up the arena and went to work, taping quickly before making a quick getaway, wondering what later would bring.

Stephanie and Chris were in their respective dressing rooms when they heard the screams coming from behind their doors.  Quickly masking their triumph, they both rushed out into the hall.  Stephanie had made sure their rooms were near the entrance and near each other.

"What the hell!?!?!" Trish screamed, staring around her.

On every single wall, layer upon layer of papers were taped.  And every single one of them had a naked Trish printed on them.  She looked around, her face turning simultaneously red and green, she almost looked like a living Christmas ornament.  Everyone else was laughing, the girls gaping, while the guys ogled her pictures.  

"Hey Trish, when do you think I get my own private photo session," Matt Hardy called out.

"Oh my God!" Trish stood frozen for a moment.  Then she started rushing around the halls, trying to rip down the pictures, but there were too many and they were endless.  She was crying, trying to rip them up and tear them down, but there was so many.

She collapsed to the ground, holding papers in her tightened fists.  She cried and cried as everyone laughed at her.  Edge tried to go help her, but she shrugged him away, still sobbing uncontrollably.  Chris walked over to her, trying to act as if he were disgusted by what he saw.

"Trish, what happened?"

"I don't know!" she screamed, "Who could've done this?!?!"

"I don't know," he whispered, "Some sick pervert obviously."

"I can't ever show my face here again!"

She cried and got up, grabbing more pictures, but they were still hanging there, showing her off.  Chris pretended to look even sorrier than he had a moment before.  Trish couldn't grab anymore and she ran out of the arena, tears running down her face in embarrassment, the laughter ringing through her ears as she ran back to her car.

Chris looked at Stephanie and she shrugged, looking at a picture and laughing before heading back into her locker room.  Chris threw some of the pictures that were on the floor away.  Didn't want anyone slipping after all.  He whistled to himself as he went back into the locker room.

One more down.


	18. Chapter 18

_"Well, Brock did play one of the important parts in their little scheme.  I think he needs something a little more…severe."_

_"Stephanie, what are you thinking?"_

_"Brock's past sins are about to catch up to him."_

Stephanie sat demurely in Hunter's dressing room, not drawing any attention to herself.  She was practically invisible nowadays and that was how she liked it.  Before, she had been resigned to spending the rest of her life simply as Mrs. Helmsley.  Now, well, now she had a mission to do, and that was to bring down everyone who had ever hurt her and Chris.  They would pay.

They would pay dearly.

If Dawn, Edge, and Trish thought they had it bad, the worst was yet to come.  Nobody trampled on her feelings like that.  Once this whole thing was finished, Stephanie would make sure they would suffer over and over again, for the rest of their lives, until they were begging her and Chris for mercy.  She smirked a little at the thought of those ingrates on their knees begging.

"Stephanie, can you get me my knee pads please?" Hunter asked.

She smiled coyly and nodded, "Of course Hunter, it's no problem at all."

She was so sweet to his face, but most of the time she wanted rip his heart out and crush it into a pulp.  But no, the time for that would come and she'd just laugh and laugh.  Chris would laugh too, and that would be sweet justice.  They'd figure something out for Hunter, and it would be good, they knew that much.

She got the kneepads, and resisting the impulse to throw them at her fiancé, she handed them to him.  He was getting ready for his match later on.  He was going to be facing Brock Lesnar.  She had innocently suggested to her father that Brock versus Hunter would be a great match, and could even lead into a feud.

Little did anyone know, Brock wouldn't be here to have a feud with Hunter.

"I can't believe you have to face Brock," Stephanie said, her lip quivering dramatically.

"Why?" Hunter asked, looking up as he adjusted a kneepad.

"After what he did to me a few months ago, grabbing me and almost assaulting me," she said, fake tears welling in her eyes, "It was such a traumatic experience."

Actually, it wasn't a pleasant experience for her by any means.  Brock had reminded her too much of Shane.  She didn't think much of Shane nowadays, she had bigger things to take care of.  Shane was actually backing off on her now, since he had actually found a girlfriend.  She would've gotten revenge on him too, but he seriously wasn't worth it.  She wasn't going to waste her time on him.  What he had done was in the past anyways.

"Steph, it was such a long time ago, you should let it go," Hunter said gently, coming to sit next to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Stephanie wanted to shove his hand off of her.  He was the one that had sent Brock to do the dirty work in the first place, how dare he tell her now that it was no big deal.  It was no big deal to him because he had orchestrated it.  No wonder he hadn't cared for her that night.  It was all part of his stupid plan.

"How can you just sit there and not care!" Stephanie said, crying now.  She was so glad she had learned to fake tears lo those many years ago.  They had come in handy then, and they came in handy now.

"I do care," he said, taking her in his arms, "I love you, and I care about you, but it was in the past and that's where it should stay."

"You didn't even care then, I had to run into the vile arms of Chris Jericho," she sobbed.  Truth was, Chris's arms were anything but vile.  In fact, she'd love to be in them right now if she wasn't in this overgrown ape's arms.  How she hated this man.

"I know, and I apologized," he said, "But let's forget it, ok, you can come out to my match with me tonight and watch me pulverize Brock ok?"

"Ok," she nodded, wiping her eyes, "Only if you promise to win."

"Of course I'm going to win, I'm The Game."

She smiled, "That you are Hunter, and you play the game so well."

"Yes, I win…always," he said, a small smirk coming to his face.  Stephanie imagined that was because he thought he had won against her and Chris.  Little did he know that the wheels were in motion and his downfall would come soon enough.  

"You do Hunter, you do," she conceded and as he turned, her smile turned evil as she regarded him.

He laced up his boots and got up, holding out his hand to her.  Taking it, she got up and followed him out to the gorilla.  She stood there waiting for his cue and saw Brock waiting as well.  She knew that Hunter would put on a short little show for her in the ring, stiffing Brock a couple of times to make it look like he was actually getting back at him.  She had Hunter pegged.

She looked over Brock's shoulder and Chris was leaning casually against the wall.  Much like he had done with Trish, she was keeping her revenge for Brock a secret.  At least until she needed Chris's help, which she was going to need eventually.  He snuck glances at her as he stood there and she tried her best not to stare at him.  They had a conversation with their eyes and he smirked and left.  

"Stephanie, are you ready?" Hunter was asking.

"Yeah," Stephanie said, "Let's get out there."

She followed him out to his music and climbed in the ring to give him a little pep talk.  She just told him to win, and he gave her a peck on the lips as she climbed out of the ring.  She stood by the announcer's table as Brock came out.  She wasn't planning on doing much in this match, she would've gladly done nothing and see Hunter suffer, but she had better things in mind for him. 

The match began and it was slow and plodding, just like the men in the match.  Brock started going after Hunter's knee, trying to work on it and make it weak so he'd have an advantage.  Stephanie stifled a yawn.  Hunter whipped Brock into a corner and charged after him, only to have Brock move at the last moment and Hunter got the turnbuckle right into his chest.

Seeing that Hunter was in trouble and hoping this would work, she climbed up on the apron to distract the referee.  He came over to her and told her to get down or else.  Hunter was getting in some moves on Brock, sending looks of thanks to Stephanie.  She simply smiled back, until Brock hit Hunter with a low blow and came over to her, shoving the referee out of the way.

"Stay out of the damn match!" he barked.

She slapped him, hoping it would provoke him.  It didn't disappoint as he grabbed her by the hair and flipped her into the ring.  This wasn't part of the script and she knew it.  Of course, they didn't plan matches to a tee, but this was pure hatred from him to her and she reveled in it.  This was exactly what she wanted.  Brock put her into an F5 and she took the brunt of it.  The pain was welcome, however, because she knew what was to come.

Chris wasn't liking this match so far, Stephanie was being put in danger, and he didn't want her to have to go through that much for this plan.  He was watching with some of the guys, appearing nonchalant, but as soon Stephanie was lifted into the F5, he got worried.  He had to work hard not to show his emotions though, but he winced when she hit the mat.

"Yeah, she did get what she deserved right there," Christian said, laughing.

"Definitely," Torrie said, "Hey, have you seen Trish today?"

"No, I heard she asked for a week off," Torrie answered, "Poor thing, she's so embarrassed."

Chris looked at them, inwardly laughing, but then drawing his attention back to Stephanie.  She appeared to be ok, or at least conscious, which was a good thing, considering the circumstances.  Stephanie getting hurt renewed a vigor in Hunter, and he quickly won the match thereafter, applying the Pedigree on Brock for the win.  He helped Stephanie out of the ring and up the ramp.

"Stephanie, I'm so sorry!"

"See!" she screamed, "This is what happens when he touches me, he does nothing but hurt me!  Like a few months ago, did you know I had bruises for weeks after he hit me!"

"Stephanie, I'll get him back, I swear," Hunter said.

"I need to be alone," she said, limping away.  As soon as she turned the corner, she dropped the act and walked down the hallway, as if nothing had happened to her.  She walked past Chris's door and gave their secret knock as she passed, telling him to meet him in the pre-designated spot.

Chris heard the knock, it was very quiet and he sighed a little in relief.  Obviously she wasn't hurt enough not to meet with him.  He excused himself from the others and walked out of the room, going to the other side of the arena.  He walked into one of the room and saw Stephanie sitting against one of the tables.

"You're ok I see."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, "Don't worry about it."

"I do worry though," he said, then smirked, "Who else would I plan stuff with, I can't finish this plan without you."

"Don't worry, now look, I've got Brock right where I want him.  With tonight, and then that incident a few months ago, we've got him Chris."

"What about that night?" he asks, a bit confused.

"Well, let's see, he assaulted me," she said, "Gave me bruises, I'm sure that's enough to put him away for a while."

"But you don't have any bruises anymore Steph, they healed, and even if you gave yourself bruises, it wouldn't be plausible that they were still there after so long."

"Of course I know that Chris," she said, acting as if his words were silly, "You don't think I prepared.  I had a doctor take pictures of the bruises and document exactly what they looked like, in case I should ever need some sort of witness."

"Stephanie…you're going to do what I think you're going to do aren't you?"

"That's right," Stephanie said, "Now, I just need to go find Daddy and Hunter and convince them that Brock is a very bad man, who's out to get me."

Chris scoffed and walked over to her, running his finger underneath the fabric of her shirt at her neckline.  He ran it over the soft skin of her shoulder and unbuttoned the top few buttons with his left hand, making her top go off her shoulder a bit.  Stephanie just stood  there and let him touch her.

"Have I ever told you how much fun I have with you?" he said, his voice lowering.

"Yes, time and time again," she tells him, "But I'm still a little unsure as to what kind of fun you're referring to."

"You know exactly what kind of fun I mean."

"Yes, and I would let you have that kind of fun if I didn't really have to find my dad and Hunter…but there is one favor I need to ask you…well, two depending on the how the first one goes."

"What is it?"

She turned around and pulled up her shirt, "Are there bruises?"

He looked at the normally pristine skin of Stephanie McMahon.  The jeans she was wearing were low-cut and rested us above the swell of her ass, and he wanted nothing more than to take her right then and there, but he knew he couldn't.  And traveling his eyes upward, he knew why he couldn't.  Marring her beautiful alabaster skin were the beginnings of some bruises running across her lower back.  They were barely there now, but they were developing.

"Yeah, there is," he said, his teeth gritted, "Those from Brock."

"Yup," she said, lowering her shirt, "I had to do that Chris, I wanted him to do that, don't be mad at that asshole."

"Fine, whatever you say," he said testily.

She came over to him and kissed his cheek softly, than licking his lips, "Don't worry about me, I know what I'm doing."

"You better."

"I always do, see you in a while, I may need your testimony."

She started crying, and Chris wanted to give her an Oscar right then and there.  She blew him a kiss and pretended to catch it and put it in his pocket.  She walked out the room and down the hallway, back to where her and Hunter's room was.  She walked in crying her eyes out.

"Stephanie, there you are," Hunter said, "Are you alright?"

"No, Brock he--he I don't even know how to put it," she sobbed, so in turn she spun around and lifted her shirt.

Hunter gasped as he saw the bruises forming on her back.  She ran to him and cried against his chest, her sobs coming louder now.  He was beyond pissed, how could Brock hurt her like this?  This wasn't even funny anymore.  He was going to have to do something about this.

"I think we should tell Daddy," Stephanie said, "I want Daddy to know."

"Ok, if that's what you want," Hunter said, not wanting to argue with her right now.

"Thank you," she said through teary eyes, "And after he hurt me last time too.  You know, I had to go to the doctor to get checked up on!"

"You did?" Hunter asked, biting his cheek.

"Yes, and the doctor had to take photos, and everything because they were so bad!"

"I'm sorry Steph, let's go see your dad alright, he'll know what to do."

Stephanie looked at her father as he saw the bruises on her back.  He was fuming, just like she knew he would be.  It paid to be a Daddy's girl sometimes.  He got off his desk to inspect the bruises closer, and she could tell he was thisclose to bursting.

"HOW DARE HE!?!" Vince shouted, "We'll call the police, they'll take him away, I won't stand for this, do you hear me!?!  I won't stand for my little girl getting brutalized."

"I'm sorry Daddy, I must've done something to provoke him, it's my fault."

"No!  No, Princess, this was not your fault.  We're just lucky we caught him before he did something truly horrendous," he said, walking over to Stephanie and hugging her, "Hunter, call the police for me, I want Brock escorted out of here in handcuffs."

"Thank you Daddy, I don't know what I'd do if he hurt me again," Stephanie sobbed, "But I don't think I could take it if he knew it was me."

"Don't worry Princess, this is all me and my business alright, you did nothing wrong, and I'll make sure that Brock knows who he's dealing with now, and it's not a helpless woman."

Stephanie sniffled as she saw Hunter calling the police out of the corner of her eye.  She knew just how to use her father's over-protective nature to her advantage, and more importantly, to other's disadvantage.  She simply let her father and Hunter comfort her as they waited for the police to arrive.  It didn't take long, the McMahons had money and when they had that, they had quick service.

"What can we do for you?" one of the officers said.

"My daughter has been assaulted, and this isn't the first time this has happened to her by the same man."

"When was the last time this happened?" another officer asked.

"It was a few months ago.  He grabbed me and threw me up against a wall," she answered, "I had to go to the doctor, he took pictures of all the bruises I received."

"We're going to need those," the officer said and Stephanie nodded in acquiescence, "And was there any witnesses."

"Um…one," she said, "I think he would tell you what happened."

"Good, we're going to need his testimony too."

"I think we can get it."

Vince sent for Brock and one of the assistants went to go look for him.  Stephanie talked to the officers a little more, putting on her best act.  Brock walked in moments later, a confused look on his face, and then a tepid one as he saw the officers.  One of them came to stand beside him.

"Is this him?"

Vince answered, "Yes, that's him."  
"Brock Lesnar, you're under arrest for assault and battery.  You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.  You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have them present with you during questioning.  If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed to you.  Do you understand?"

"Yes," Brock croaked, "But what's going on?"

"You hurt my daughter," Vince said, "I'm having you arrested for it.  Nobody touches Stephanie McMahon and gets away with it.  Take him away officers.  Hope you enjoy prison Brock"

Brock didn't struggle, knowing that he was in trouble.  Hunter wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she sniffled.  He was to blame for this, but the smug bastard was acting like he was an actual comfort to her.  Yeah, just wait until he got what was coming to him.  He walked her out of the hallway, where curious bystanders were looking in shock as Brock was led out of the building in handcuffs.

Well, only one person wasn't in shock.  Chris was standing in his doorway, proud of what Stephanie had done.  He had to hand it to her; she knew what she was doing.  He knew that she had made her father call the police not her, making Brock think the fault lie with Vince's anger, and not Stephanie's.  She was the innocent victim and not the mastermind.

Stephanie glanced to Chris and he gave a small bow in her direction, conceding that her performance had been brilliant.  Stephanie tried to hide her smirk, but found it too difficult and gave him one before turning back to Hunter with sad eyes as he led her away.

Let the games continue.


	19. Chapter 19

_"Of course there needs to be some diversion."_

_"You read my mind."_

"So you really think that everyone is buying everything?"

"Of course they are, I don't think that anyone would know it was us if they were hit over the head with a shovel, and even then I bet they'd have their doubts," Chris said, smiling over at Stephanie.

"Good, I want them all to be completely surprised, and by that time, it'll be too late to do anything," Stephanie said, giggling.

"So how did you get away from that dumb ox you call a fiancé?"

"Oh, I said I needed some much deserved 'alone time,' and since he thinks that means I needed to preserve my sanctity before our unholy nuptials, he agreed to let me have my own room."

"And your own room being?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My own room being your room of course," she said slyly, "Just think of it this way, I save on the expenses if I share with you."

"And if he goes asking for a room number?"

"I'll tell him some bogus lie or something, you underestimate the stronghold I have over him."

"Could've fooled me with the grandma outfits."

Stephanie looked at her discarded outfit, "Yes, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.  And I've got a hold of him where it counts."

"By the balls, right Steph?"

Stephanie just grinned, with a hint of evil behind it and dipped her finger into the jar of peanut butter sitting between the two of them.  She licked some of it off her finger and then offered the rest to Chris.  He took her finger in his mouth and swirled it around, cleaning off the peanut butter.

"I have a new appreciation for pb&j's," Chris said as she pulled her finger out of his mouth.

"I thought you might, this is the only way to eat, don't you think?" she said, giving him a seductive look.

"I'd eat anything if it was served on you," he told her.

"Oh, aren't you the charmer?" she said, taking some of the strawberry jelly and running it down Chris's cheek and then leaning in to lick it off his cheek.  They had been doing this for hours now.  He was just in his deep maroon silk boxers and she was in her matching purple bra and panties.  They just found it way more comfortable than being in those constricting clothes.

"I have been known to charm the ladies," he said, leaning in and gently touching his lips to hers.

"Yo Jericho, get your scrawny ass to the door and let us in, we want to party with you!"

"Fuck," Chris muttered against Stephanie's lips, "The one fucking night that I get to spend being devious with you and they have to fucking interrupt."

"Devious?  Is that what it's called now?"

"Jericho, get out here!"

"Who is that obnoxious voice?" Stephanie asked.

"That would be Christian," Chris told her, getting up, "But I'll get them out of here right now."

"Or you can just ignore them," Stephanie said, taking some more peanut butter and sensually sucking it off her finger.

"They'll just keep banging."

"Yes, but you'll be too distracted banging something yourself," Stephanie said with a smirk.

"Let me get rid of the assholes and then you can give me some special treatment," he said, "Now get your cute ass in the bathroom."

Stephanie shrugged and got up, Chris giving her a slap on the ass as she walked away.  Stephanie rubbed the spot where he had slapped her and waved her finger at him, telling him silently that he was a bad boy.  She walked into the bathroom and closed the door.  Chris made sure that he was presentable and opened the door.

"It's about damn time," Christian said, Torrie and Dawn with him, and Kurt hanging back behind them, "Let us in."

"I'm busy," Chris said curtly.

"You look like you were sleeping," Christian said, "Get dressed and come out with us."

"I'm really not in the mood," Chris said, trying not to lose his temper.

"Come on," Dawn prodded, "Come out with us, it'll be fun."

Chris could tell that they had already gone out and had some fun.  They were all drunk, or well on their way to being drunk.  These were the people he was getting revenge on, it seemed so pathetic of them to even try and get him and Stephanie apart.  They may have done it for a little while, but they could not keep up that ruse forever, not with him and Stephanie.

"You guys, I'm not in the mood to go out, so I'm not going to go out."

Torrie looked over Chris's shoulder, "Oh, I think I know why Chris doesn't want to go out, he's with a girl."

Chris looked over his shoulder at Stephanie's clothes on the ground, "Yeah, so what?"

"Who is she?" Christian asked.

"Go out and have fun alright," Chris said, slamming the door, "You can come out now."

Stephanie walked out of the bathroom and walked up behind Chris, reaching around to rest her cold palms on his warm stomach, "What was that all about?"

"They wanted to party, they were all drunk…idiots," he said and turned to her, "So where were we?"

"We were making human sandwiches and then we were discussing how we're going to get the focus off us indefinitely."

"Oh yeah, let me go get the chocolate sauce," he said, giving her a cute look.

The next day, Stephanie walked into the arena, completely refreshed.  She was back to being her dowdy self, but today would be better.  Just because she'd get to further this plan just a tiny bit more.  She walked into her dressing room and saw Hunter sitting there.

"There you are," he said, "I've been waiting for you to show up."

"That's nice of you," she smiled, then turned away, "Yeah, nice of you to wait for me too."

"What was that Stephanie?"

"Nothing sweetie," she answered sweetly, "I missed you last night."

He got up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders from behind and rubbing them lightly.  Stephanie grimaced at his touch, and then he had to make it worse by leaning in to kiss her neck.  She shuddered lightly, which he thought was due to arousal.

"So what did you do last night?" Hunter asked.

"Nothing," Stephanie said with a little laugh, "Nothing at all."

"Yeah, me too," he said, "I felt so lonely."

"Yeah, I was so lonely," Stephanie said, smirking to herself.  She was far from lonely last night.  It was the best night she'd had in months, but that was mostly due to the fact that she wasn't around her asshole of a future-husband.

"Your dad called me this morning."

"What'd he want?"

"Well, they pressed charges against Brock and he's in prison right now."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Yeah, so he won't hurt you."

"I'm going to go get some coffee or something," Stephanie said, smoothly detangling herself from Hunter's grasp, "See you in a bit."

"Ok," he said, kind of confused that she would leave as soon as she had gotten here, but he wasn't going to question her desire to get coffee.

"Bye," she said, blowing him a kiss.

When she was out the door, she pretended to spit the dirty taste out of her mouth.  She walked furtively down the hall and to Chris's locker room, hoping that he was alone.  She slipped inside and saw him there, lacing up his boots quickly.  He looked up and seemed surprised to see her there.

"Brock's in jail," Stephanie said, "Pending a trial and all that."

"Hope he doesn't drop the soap," Chris laughed, "Although the thought of him being someone's prison bitch is oddly appealing."

"Isn't it though, instead of him doing the pummeling, he's getting pummeled, it's like poetic justice."

"Trish is thinking about quitting the company," Chris told her, "Heard it this afternoon.  She's so humiliated, she's thinking about going back to medical school."

Stephanie laughed softly, "That's great, who knew she'd be so sensitive.  Ok, but I have to go and get coffee or something, remember the exchange at exactly 7:38."

"Yes, I've got it, don't worry," he said, "It'll work just fine."

"I know, see you," she said, giving him a wink, before slipping out silently.

Stephanie went to get the aforementioned coffee and returned to Hunter's side.  She sat there silently, staring at the clock.  She had worked this out with Chris to a tee, and this had to go off as planned or they would miss the opportunity.  She was sure another one would come along, but she hated when things didn't go her way the first time.  Seeing that the time was drawing near, she scooted closer to Hunter.

"Hunter, baby, will you come with me to see my mom about some wedding arrangements."

"Why do you need me?" he asked gruffly.

"Well, it's for our first song, Mom and I have narrowed the list down to ten, and we needed your opinion on it, since you know, it'll be your song too," she said sweetly.

"Ok, let's go."

"Oh, you know, this may run into the show and you have a promo first and you know, I don't want my ring to get ruined, so I'll leave it here," she said, slipping her ring off her finger and putting it directly in the center of the coffee table.

"Good idea, I don't want you to lose it in the ring or something."

"Yeah, that would be terrible!" Stephanie said, putting a hand to her heart, "It would break my heart if I lost it, since it's the symbol of your love for me."

She was about to gag at the words, but as he kissed her, she swallowed back the bile.  She needed to act like this to get Hunter to be lulled into a false sense of security.  It was better this way, in the end, for when he got what was coming to him.  She smiled to herself as she thought about the day when Hunter would get his just desserts.  Oh, it would be beautiful.

They got up and Stephanie let Hunter get a half-step ahead of her and as his back was turned, she snatched up her ring off the table.  Holding it tightly in her hand, she caught up with Hunter so he wouldn't know that she had fallen behind a little bit.  She let him exit first and then walked out after him, making a point to slam the door shut.  She grabbed his hand with her free one as they walked down the hallway to her parent's office.  She pretended to be engulfed in looking at him, but was really on the look-out.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chris walking down the opposite side of the hallway, towards them.  It was right on schedule and she mentally commended his punctuality.  They were getting closer and closer, but paid no attention to each other, or else that would cause suspicion.  She just laughed and looked up adoringly at Hunter.

Finally, Chris was only a few feet away.  She held her hand out a little farther than usual.  They walked by each other and Chris reached his hand out quickly and Stephanie slipped him the ring.  She didn't even look at him, and Hunter didn't even notice since he was talking about himself.  She smiled to herself; that had gone perfectly.  Now when they got back from her parents, the ring would be missing.  And since she had passed the ring off herself, and Chris didn't have to go get it, nobody would've seen anything suspicious going on.

She walked into her parent's office and sat down where her mother was looking over a binder, "Mom, I got Hunter and we wanted to talk about the song."

"Great," Linda said, "We've pretty much narrowed it down."

"Yeah, I was thinking about something totally romantic," Stephanie said, "I mean, it is our first dance."

"I'm sure I'll love whatever you decide," Hunter told her, "Because all that matters is that I'm dancing with you."

Linda sighed and smiled, "Stephanie, you're lucky to have found Hunter."

"Oh, I know Mom, I know," Stephanie said, smiling as if she were actually happy, "So I think the old staple, you know, 'At Last,' I think it'd be best."

Yeah, Stephanie thought, At Last she would be getting revenge on Hunter, and it would be so good.  She could hardly wait for it.  She tuned out her mother and Hunter's conversation, knowing they were probably just agreeing on the song.  It wasn't until Hunter tapped her on the shoulder did she stop thinking of ways she'd love to kill Hunter.

"What?" she snapped, but then realized what she had done, "I'm sorry baby, I was just picturing how beautiful our wedding would be."

"I was wondering if you wanted to go back to the dressing room?"

"Oh, do we have time before the show?"

"Your mom just informed me that I'm going to be going on in the middle of the show and they're moving a match up to the first slot."

"Oh, so there's time to go talk," she said, "That's wonderful."

"Great, see you Linda."

"Yeah, bye Mom, thanks for all your help," Stephanie said, hugging her mother.

They got up and walked out, Stephanie mentally planning how she was going to react when she saw her ring missing.  She'd have to turn on the waterworks, that was a given.  Maybe she'd throw in a little whimpering.  Anything to seem authentic, she thought as Hunter opened the door.  She walked inside.

"I think I'll put my ring in my purse," she said, walking over to the coffee table and then stopping abruptly as she looked at the table, "Hu-Hunter…."

"What is it Steph?"

"My ring!"

"What about it?"

"It's gone!" she said, looking around frantically, "I put it right on the table and it's not there!"

"What do you mean?" Hunter said, coming over to her and looking down at the table, "Maybe it rolled off."

"How, you saw me put it on the table," she said, "Where could it be!"

Stephanie got down on her hands and knees and started searching maniacally around the room, crawling around, searching under chairs and in her bag and Hunter's bag.  She started crying, looking around, and saw Hunter looking as well.

"I bet someone stole it!" Hunter said angrily standing up.

"No!  No, why would someone do that!" Stephanie said, the tears streaking down her face.

"I don't know what the hell is going on around here, but I saw you put your ring there and somebody must've stolen it.  I bet it was the same pervert who put all those posters up of Trish."

"I can't believe they'd steal my engagement ring," she said, scanning the room, "That was the ring you gave to me."

"Bastard!" Hunter said, punching the wall, "Whoever the asshole is, I'll take care of it Stephanie, I swear to God."

"I want my ring," she sobbed.

Hunter came over and hugged her, "We're going to go tell your dad what happened right now, and he'll demand whoever stole it to give it back."

"My beautiful ring," she said as Hunter walked her out of the room.  He led her down the hallway, where she just clung to him and sobbed hysterically.  She was trying to make herself look as sad as possible.  

"What's going on?" Vince said as Stephanie and Hunter came in, "Is this about Brock?"

"Somebody stole her engagement ring," Hunter said, fury lacing his voice, "Can you believe that, she left it on the table in our dressing room because she didn't want to wear it to the ring, we were gone ten minutes and some asshole stole it!"

"What?!?" Vince said, incensed, then got up to go the doorway, glaring at one of the production people, "You!  I want you to tell everyone there's an emergency meeting in catering, and whoever doesn't show up is fired!  Do you hear me!  GO!"

The guy scurried off in search of everyone to tell them about the meeting.  No more than seven minutes had passed and everyone had gathered in the large eating area.  They all looked around, wondering what the impromptu meeting was about.  They had no idea except for the fact that Vince was pissed.

"What do think this is about?" Torrie whispered to Chris.

"I don't know," Chris said, playing dumb, "Whatever it is, sounds pretty dumb."

Vince walked into the room, with Stephanie still holding on tightly to Hunter.  Chris looked at her, wanting to smile, but not wanting to give anything away.  Stephanie looked up momentarily at Chris and he saw that spark in her eyes and he gave a slow nod of recognition.

"Everyone, I'm here because somebody had committed a crime," Vince bellowed, "Somebody walked into my daughter's dressing room and stole her engagement ring."

Everyone started talking among themselves.

"Whoever took it, I expect you to return it as soon as possible or suffer the consequences.  If you give it back you won't be charged, my daughter just wants her ring back."

"Please," Stephanie said, her voice clogged with tears, "I just want my ring, it means everything to me.  Everything."

"You're dismissed," Vince said.

Everyone streamed out of the room, still talking about what had happened, everyone speculating as to who would take someone's ring.  It seemed so absurd.  Chris got up slowly and deliberately walked past Stephanie, who was leaning against Hunter, who was engrossed in conversation with Vince.

Stephanie looked over at Chris and mouthed, "Thanks."

Chris walked out of the room.  

Everything was going beautifully.

Bring on the next target.


	20. Chapter 20

_"That blonde bimbo is next."_

_"Which one?  Christian or Torrie?"  
"Hmm…that is a good question, you decide."_

_"Well, this is a hard decision, do we let one of them stew for a while, or do we strike at them."_

_"Oh for the love of God Chris, we'll go after Torrie, there, decision made."_

"I still can't believe someone hasn't returned your ring," Hunter said gruffly as he brushed his teeth.

Stephanie looked down, pretending to sniffle, "Please, I don't want to talk about it Hunter."

He patted her lower back, "It's ok Steph, if someone doesn't return it, I'll buy you a new one that will be ten times better than the one you have."

"But that's the thing Hunter, I want my old ring, it means so much to me."

Stephanie had honed her lying skills long ago, and she was such an expert at it, she could probably fool a lie detector test.  Maybe it had everything to do with have no remorse whatsoever.  She had no scruples, and there was very little that she wouldn't do to get her way.  This, this lying to Hunter, it was bush league, the idiot couldn't even tell.  So much for knowing someone so well you can see all their tells.  Not that she had any, but if she did, he wouldn't notice those either.

Hunter rinsed his mouth, then leaned over to kiss her temple, "We will find your ring if we have to root through everyone's things or get search warrants to go to their houses."

"It's been a week Hunter, an entire week, it's not coming back," she said, the tears welling in her eyes.  The crying was easy.  She had learned to fabricate tears years ago.  It was the key to getting her Daddy to do whatever she wanted.

"Yes it is," he said resolutely, "Whoever the bastard is that stole your ring I'm going to get them, and when I do, they're going to jail."

"For what? Theft? I mean, isn't that not a big enough crime."

"You forget who your parents are," he said, "They'll make sure the perpetrator will get what's coming to them."

She looked up at him, her eyes hopeful and shining with a strange light, "If you say so, I trust you Hunter."

"I know you do, and I'm glad you trust me," he said, leaning in to kiss her, "I love you."

She looked down, trying to act demure, as if his words were too beautiful for her to bear hearing them.  But she was really just rolling her eyes.  She hated hearing him say those words.  Once upon a time, she had welcomed them, then he had to go and screw that up.  Screwed up everything he did, and that's why she couldn't possibly say those words back, not when they were laced with hatred and disgust.  She at least believed in some semblance of love and didn't think that it was right to hurt the person you love, as much Hunter had hurt her.

"I just wish I knew who took it," she said, "It was so beautiful, and you gave it to me, and I was so happy."

"I'm happy too," he said, kissing the tip of her nose, "But don't think about it, we're getting married still, in such a short time, focus on that, and how wonderful the wedding is going to be."

She smiled a little, "It will be beautiful huh?"

"It'll be the best wedding this world has ever seen," he smiled, "And everything will run without a hitch."

She smiled at this, "Yes, it'll be beautiful."

Hunter turned to walk into the bedroom and she sneered after him.  Bastard thought that he could control her, manipulate her, break her heart, and then marry her.  Oh, she'd marry him alright, then take all his money and leave him for broke, out in the street on his ass.  She clutched the brush in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.  She wanted to throw her brush at his head.  Then when he was stunned, she'd punch him in the face.  Chris had taught her how to fight, thought it might come in handy, and while she knew she couldn't beat Hunter, she could at least hurt him.

Hunter turned around and the sneer dropped from her face, replaced by a sweet smile.  He gave her a smile of her own, and spoke, "You coming to bed?"

"In a second," she told him.  She went back to brushing her hair, the brush gliding smoothly through her brown locks.  Chris liked her hair straight and shiny, Hunter didn't, he was always telling her to cut her hair.  She refused every time, but not for his lack of trying.  She grow her hair so long so she could strangle him.  How was that for revenge?

She finished up in the bathroom and entered the bedroom again, switching off the light in the bathroom and bathing the entire room with an inky blackness.  She walked slowly to the bed and climbed in.  Hunter was next to her in three seconds flat, kissing her, touching her.  She just laid there, knowing it would go no farther.  Hunter wanted to abstain from sex until the wedding, some stupid purity, we'll miss each other crap.  As if that changed the fact they had had sex before.  It was all silly to her, but she didn't care.  If she didn't have to fuck this Neanderthal, it was just as well, she hated him anyways, no reason she should give up her body to him.

He kissed her one final time, and she returned it so as not to raise his suspicions.  Moments later he was laying on his side, his back to her.  She lay there, staring up, not moving until she heard the calm, rhythmic breathing coming from the other side of the bed.  She'd wait a few more minutes before getting up.  Hunter slept like a log, but she didn't want to risk him getting up since he had just fallen asleep.  So she lay there, listening, baiting her breath, hoping that he wouldn't wake up so she could make her escape.

A few minutes later she was out of her bed and stalking quietly towards the door.  It didn't squeak, she had been sure to listen earlier, and she stealthily slipped out into the yellow light of the hallway.  She scanned both directions, then made out for a dead run towards Chris's room.  She took the key card out of her pocket and went inside quickly.  It was pitch black, and she couldn't hear anything.  That was strange, Chris was supposed to be here.

She walked in a little ways, hoping to see him, or hear him, since it was so dark, but nothing.  Could he be out with those people?  It was possible, but he hadn't mentioned his going out with them.  He would've told her, somehow through a note or something, that was what he always did.  She groped her way over to the couch, intending to wait for him.  Sitting here in the dark, alone, was still better than sleeping with Hunter.  The couch was warm and comforting, she could probably fall asleep here, but that would be terrible, she might sleep until morning and then Hunter would get suspicious.

She sat there for a few minutes, in complete silence.

"Waiting for someone," a voice said right next to her ear.

Stephanie screamed and jumped up off the couch.  A single light next to the couch turned on and Chris was sitting there, a sly grin on his face.  Stephanie put her hand on her heart, trying to get the beat to return to normal.  She glared at Chris as he started laughing at her fear.

"How long were you there?" she demanded.

"The entire time," he said with a raised eyebrow, "Surprised you didn't sit on me."

"So you were here the whole time and didn't even tell me."

"I got a kick out of seeing you think I wasn't here, sitting all alone on the couch."

Stephanie walked towards him and straddled his lap, "You're such a bad boy, you should be punished."

"No, you should be punished," he said, "For not taking off your clothes and waiting for me here naked."

"Oh, but you were here all along," she whispered huskily, tracing a finger down his neck, "Watching me, looking at me, does that turn you on Chris?"

"Not really, I just said you naked would probably do the trick."

"Maybe I can take care of that," she said as she unbutton the top two buttons on her pajama tops, exposing her ample cleavage.

"So what's the story?" he asked, not giving in by staring down her shirt.

"Torrie, me, the ring, the plan, everything is all sorted out," she said, unbuttoning the next button slowly.

He still didn't look down, "Yeah, your ring--"

"HUNTER'S ring, I refuse to be associated with it," she told him, taking his hand and putting it directly on her breast.

He took his hand off of her and gestured to the air, "Yeah, yeah, whatever, the ring is in my bag.  It's all ready for drop-off."

"Good," she whispered, "Then tomorrow, you do your job, and I'll do mine."

"Sounds good," he said, staring into her eyes.

"Hunter's livid about it, it won't take much to set him off, and once my ring is found, Torrie will be carted off," she explained, taking his hand and putting it back on her breast.

He took it off once again, "That's good, so what's my pretense for going into her locker room?"

"Well, you get Christian and Kurt, and go hang out with them, it can't hurt you know, I mean, you are…friends."

"No, the only friend I have is you," he said, grinning, "And I intend to keep it that way."

"Is that why you're nixing my advances, or do you really not want my body tonight," she said, "Because I'm ready and willing."

"I don't need you to make me touch you, I'll touch you whenever and wherever I want," he growled, kissing her deeply.

She ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him tighter against her.  Her leverage from straddling her lap let her push him against the back of the couch as she deepened the kiss.  He ran his hands underneath her top and up her back, massaging the skin with his fingers.  Suddenly she felt herself being lifted up from the couch, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.  His hands were underneath her ass, holding her up as he walked outside on the balcony, still keeping the kiss.  He sat her on the ledge and she pulled away.

"What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly, "You thinking about pushing me over the edge?"

"Not this edge," he said, kissing her again, "Maybe another one though."

She pulled away, "I better get back to Hunter."

She hopped down off the ledge and onto the balcony.  She started buttoning up her top as she walked inside.  Chris watched her walk off, taking in the sway of her steps that seemed to mesmerize him every time he looked at her.  She was truly a spectacle to see.

"You're such a tease," he said as he leaned against the sliding door.

She turned to face him, and gave him a slight smile, "How do you figure that?"

"You do all that and then don't let me fuck you," he said, shaking his head.

"I do not."

"No, you keep doing it," he said, "We haven't fucked since the night I thought you betrayed me."

"But we're just friends," she said, walking over to him, and kissing his cheek, "Just friends."

"Oh, so kissing me like you just did, that was just a friendly gesture?" Chris asked.

"Uh huh," she nodded slowly, "I like making my friends feel close to me." She pushed herself up against his body.

"Not going to work," he said, leaning down and whispering into her ear, "I'm too good for you."

"Never," she replied, "You're not too good for me.  We're equal."

He licked her lips, "So why don't we go into the bedroom and have some fun, you know, show them what equality means."

"Cheesy pick-up line," she said, "Besides, I made a pact not to have sex before the wedding, and I'm sticking to that."

He frowned, "Who made that decision?"

"I did," she said with a smile, "So I'm keeping my end of the bargain, and the man I'm marrying is going to as well."

He scowled, thinking about that.  She gave him a smile and another kiss.  She pulled away and looked into his eyes, confusion swimming in them.  He gave her a little grin and she just patted his cheek playfully.  He knew what that look was in her eyes, she was thinking of times to come.  He let her go then, knowing that tomorrow, that smile on her face would be wider, wider with victory.

"Until tomorrow," she whispered before she disappeared from his sight.

He watched her leave and stood there, "God, she's incredible."

The next day, Chris was taping up his wrists in his dressing room, thinking about how he'd get the ring over to Torrie's dressing room.  He took a glove out and then a cloth, wiping the ring so that any and all fingerprints would be gone, lest Vince and Hunter try to have it fingered, which he was sure they would, if they could even get a print, which was unlikely, but better he kept safe.  Holding the ring against his wrist, he taped over it, creating a little lump against his wrist.  He tore the tape and pressed down on the tape to make sure it was steady. 

Getting up, he went in search of Christian and Kurt.  They probably weren't doing anything at the moment.  That would give him the great opportunity to persuade them to go into the women's locker room.  It was too early for any of them to be changing, so it would be safe.  He went in search of them, figuring they'd be at catering right now.  Good, everyone would be there and they'd be easier to get together.

Sure enough all the people he needed were sitting at one table.  He grabbed a plate and put some pasta on it.  He wasn't hungry, but he needed something to make him blend in.  He stepped away from the buffet and his "friends" waved him over to join him.  Sitting around the round table was Kurt, Christian, Torrie, and Dawn.  He sat down next to Torrie and glanced around the table.  He felt dirty even sitting here with them.

"Hey Chris, what's up?" Dawn said.

"Nothing, how are you by the way?  We haven't gotten to talk," he said, giving her a supportive smile.  It was all he could do to laugh in his face.

Dawn teared up a little, "I'm ok, I guess, I just can't stop picturing them together.  You know, we had been talking about marriage and to just have him…it hurts, I don't think I'll get over it."

"Oh sweetie, it'll be fine," Torrie said, patting her friend's shoulder.

"You guys look like you're almost done," Chris said, looking around the table.

"We are, but we can wait for you," Kurt said.

"I'm not that hungry anyways," he said, taking a few bites, "Where are you guys going?"

"Oh, Dawn got a new dress, and the guys want to see it," Torrie said, "Ogle her of course."

"I'm all for ogling," Chris said, smiling.  He wouldn't have to do too much work after all.  It was as if the powers that be wanted him and Stephanie to get revenge.

"You guys are terrible," Torrie said as they all got up.

Chris brought up the rear of the group, watching the other four as they laughed and talked.  Let them have their fun now, it would soon all go to hell.  He followed everyone into the women's locker room and found it empty save for them.  Now he'd just have to figure out how to get the ring in Torrie's bag.  But first, he'd have to find out which bag was hers.

"Nice," Christian said, holding up someone's lacy bra, "Now who's is this?"

"Don't touch people's clothes," Dawn said laughing throwing a shirt at Christian.

Christian threw the shirt back at her and this started a clothing fight.  Bras, panties, shirts, pants, and any other kind of clothing were flying around haphazardly between them.  Chris took this moment of lack of focus to find Torrie's bag.  It was pink and pretty and he laughed as he slipped the ring in.  All he needed to do now was implicate her.

"You guys," Chris yelled, "I better get going because I need to talk to my opponent tonight."

"Ok, bye Chris," they all yelled as they kept throwing things at each other.

Chris walked out smugly and looked both ways.  He saw Stephanie casually leaning against the wall, talking to Hunter.  He walked by her and gave her a slight nod.  She smiled up at Hunter, and he thought it was her she was smiling about, but it was just Chris.  Chris turned the corner and went into a dark hallway, away from anyone and everything possible.  He slipped out the exit into the dark of night.  Walking around to the other side of the arena, he found a dock of pay phones unattended to.

Walking up quietly to one, he dialed the number for Vince's cell phone.  He waited for it to pick up, tapping his fingers impatiently on the steel side of the console.

"Vince McMahon, this better be good."

Chris deepened his voice greatly, "Vince, I know where your daughter's ring is."

"Who is this?"

"A concerned citizen."

"Fine, fine, who took it?"

"Check Torrie Wilson," he said gruffly, "Look in her bags, I saw her sneak out of Stephanie's dressing room."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said, "Just check."

"Thank you, whoever you are."

Vince got up out of his seat, but not before calling the police.  He walked down to Stephanie and Hunter's dressing room and knocked loudly.  Hunter opened the door angrily until he saw who was on the other side.  Stephanie smiled at her handiwork and got up to look at her father over Hunter's shoulder.

"What is it Vince?" Hunter asked.

"We may have found Stephanie's ring."

"Really Daddy?" Stephanie said excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Yes, as soon as the police arrive, we'll find out."

The police arrived shortly thereafter, and they all trekked down to the women's locker room.  One of the police officers rapped on the door and Dawn answered it, looking around curiously at the officers.  The rest of the women in the locker room came to the door to see what was going on.

"Where is Miss Wilson?" the officer said.

"That's me," she said, coming forward, "Is there something that I can do for you?"

"We've received a tip that said that you were seen leaving a locker room where a very valuable ring was stolen.  We were wondering what you thought of that?"

"I have no idea what that's about," Torrie said, "I wasn't around her room."

"Would you mind if we looked through your things?"

"Um, ok," Torrie said, taking a step back and pointing to her bag, "That's my bag right there, feel free."

Two of the officers walked over to the bag and one stood on watch as the other put some gloves on and rooted through the bag.   Stephanie watched, clinging to Hunter's arm, and giving him looks of hope occasionally.  She knew that it would be in there, but she was thinking about what kind of level of surprise and happiness she should give.  She didn't want to be too over the top.

"Is this the ring?" the officer asked, holding up the ring.

"Yes!" Stephanie said, "That's my ring!"

"What?" Torrie said, looking around at everyone who was looking at her accusingly, "I don't know how that got in there."

"Likely story," Hunter said, "How dare you!"

"Torrie," Vince said, "Your contract is hereby absolved, and these nice police officers will be taking you away now."

The officer went over to Torrie and started to handcuff her while telling her, her rights.  She looked around confused, still blurting out that she didn't know how it got there.  To everyone it sounded fake, but Stephanie knew she was telling the truth, but what everyone didn't know…well, it wouldn't hurt her and Chris and in the grand scheme of things, wasn't that all that mattered?

"We'll need to take the ring for evidence, but it'll be returned to you shortly."

"Thank you," Stephanie said, trying to sound as grateful as possible, "Please press all the charges you can, I'm just so glad my ring is back."

She hugged Hunter who hugged her back tightly.  She glanced over her shoulder at Chris who was standing a few short feet away.  She gave him a sinister look and he winked slowly at her.  Glancing around quickly, she licked her lips slowly, enticing him for some fun later.

Hunter pulled away from her and she quickly changed her look to be more sweet and innocent, "I'm glad we found my ring."

"I don't know why that bitch would take it," Hunter said angrily.

"Me either, but let's forget about that, let's focus on the future, and us, and what that ring symbolizes."

"I like that idea."

She was sure he did, but his happiness wouldn't last.

She planned on making it up to Hunter.

She planned on making him hurt forever.

But there were still a couple more people who she and Chris had to get to first.

Kurt Angle, watch your back, your number is up.


	21. Chapter 21

_"There's only one thing that would hurt Kurt, and you know it."_

_"You aren't talking about..."_

_"That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about."_

Stephanie sighed as she sat there, in a bridal boutique, waiting to do her second fitting for her dress. She hadn't gotten to talk to Chris in days because Hunter and her mother, and these damn wedding plans were getting in the way. Chris was her way out, the only thing that kept her sane nowadays and it had been five days since she had seen him. She was about to grab a knife and start chopping people up if she didn't see Chris.

"So Stephanie, how did the dress fit last time you tried it on?" her mother asked.

Stephanie shook herself out of her reverie and smiled prettily, "It was fine Mom. But I understand why we have to do another one, there would be nothing worse than going to my wedding in a dress that doesn't fit."

"God forbid!"

Stephanie stood up and walked around the boutique, looking at various dresses they had hanging elegantly from the walls. She hated her dress. It was big and poofy and just all around ugly. She had let her mother pick it out though, because at the time she hadn't cared what it looked like. She turned her head and saw a beautiful dress. She walked over to it and fingered the material lightly; it was silk. She imagined herself in this dress, rather than the cotton ball she was supposed to get married in.

"Mom, what do you think of this dress," Stephanie said as she turned to her mother.

Linda looked at it, "That's not a wedding dress, that's just an evening gown, you can't get married in that."

"You're right," Stephanie said, turning back to the dress. She scowled; she would look fabulous in that dress. She could already tell that it would accentuate all her curves. But far be it for her to actually have a say in anything around here. Better this way, because she wasn't investing anything into this marriage.

She looked at the dress one last time and went back to sit with her mother. The people were finally ready and she went to put the dress on and get it fitted again, just in case she got fat over the past few weeks. She sighed as she put that dress on; she looked like a pillow. Chris would laugh at her if he ever saw her in this thing.

After the fitting, she parted ways with her mother, glad that she could be alone for a while. She was supposed to go to dinner with Hunter tonight, but she would just cancel that. Say she had PMS or something. She couldn't say she was sick, or Hunter would come over here like some damned nurse and try to nurse her back to health or some shit like that. The last thing she needed was him poring over her every move. She hated his guts so much and she wished that she could push him down a stairwell or something. The fantasies of ways she could kill him were getting less violent and more practical.

She cracked her neck as she walked into her house. She threw her keys down angrily on the counter in her kitchen and grabbed the phone. She took a moment to compose herself and get into her proper mood to pull this off. She didn't want Hunter to suspect anything about her, or this whole thing could go straight down the drain. Finally, she dialed his number and put a cheesy grin on her face.

"Hello?"

"Hunter, baby, it's me," she said kindly.

"Baby, hey, we still on for tonight?"

"Actually baby, I'm not feeling well," she said, deeply sighing as if she were in pain, "And I wanted to cancel, if that's ok with you? It is right?"

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked worriedly, ready to rush over there at a moment's notice. Stephanie could tell what he was thinking and tried to think of something that wouldn't put him on edge enough to come over. She really needed a moment's peace.

"I just have a headache, I had to go to another fitting today and it was just a really big hassle, they had to take the dress in a little and I'm just so tired."

"How about I come over there with some of your favorite take-out, Thai?"

She rolled her eyes, she didn't even like Thai, she liked Italian. Leave it to him to screw 

even that up, "No baby, you enjoy yourself tonight, I'm going to be very boring."

"Are you sure? I can be over in twenty minutes."

"I'm sure you could, but baby, I think we can spend one night apart don't you?"

"I can, but I don't like to."

"Well just think, soon you'll be seeing me every night," Stephanie said, pretending to be excited about it. She studied her fingernails; she was going to need a manicure soon.

"I can't wait for that."

"Me too," she said dully, maybe she'd go get a manicure tomorrow, "So I'll talk to you tomorrow, and no dropping by unexpectedly or I'm slamming the door in your face."

"Fine, fine," he laughed, "I'll see you tomorrow, I love you."

"Me too," she said, "Love you."

She hung up after that and sighed, finally relieved to be free, at least for the evening. She wondered what she would have for dinner. She couldn't go and gain weight, her mother said, watch what you eat, you don't want to be a balloon when you walk down the aisle. Maybe it was better if she was a balloon, that way she could just float away and not have to deal with anyone anymore.

She heard clapping behind her and swung around to stare right into Chris Jericho's eyes.

"Beautiful acting," he said, clapping loudly, "Simply wonderful."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, glaring at him with a fire in her eyes.

"Came to see you, I was afraid after not seeing you for several days that either you had dropped off the face of the planet, or had gone back to being little Miss Priss."

"Neither one of those."

"Well, I know that now, so tell me about the wedding dress, I'm anxious to know what the pretty Stephanie McMahon will be walking down the aisle wearing."

"Did anyone see you come here? If someone saw you, they could tell my family, or Hunter, and then we'd be screwed, did you even think about that!"

"Of course, which is why I took a taxi here and went in through the back door, that's why you gave me the key," he said, casually holding up the key for her to see.

"Ok, fine, I'm fine, everything is fine!"

"The dress?"

"It's ugly," she replied with an eye-roll, "It's ugly and puffy and I look horrible in it, and yet my mother says I look fucking beautiful, I'd rather walk down the aisle naked that in that hideous monstrosity."

"I'd opt for the naked to, if you're trying to think of things."

She pulled off her shirt and let it fall to the ground, "I was so uncomfortable in that thing."

"You looked it," he said, mock seriously, "And the pants, they look constricting."

She tried to unbutton her top button and pretended like she couldn't get it undone. She looked up at Chris innocently, "Seems like I'm having some problems, I might need a big, strong man to help me get them off, do you know of one?"

"I think I can find one."

He came over to her and unbuttoned it easily, looking up at her with his eyebrows raised like he was surprised they even opened. She shrugged and grabbed his hands, putting them on her hips. He ran his large hands inside her pants and then slid his hands down her hips, taking the pants down with him. 

"Well, would you look at that," she said, "You got it undone."

"That I did...and I've got some Italian food in the living room, care to join me?"

"My favorite," she said with a smile, "We have some things to talk about anyways."

She stepped out of the pants and followed him into the living room. She looked at the spread and saw all her favorites. She sat down on the over-stuffed couch and grabbed a plate and started loading up. Maybe she should deliberately try to gain weight so she wouldn't have to wear that horrible dress.

"So do you and Hunter have wedding rings?" he asked as they sat there.

"No, what does that matter?"

"Well, you know how we're doing that thing to Kurt, with the taking and stuff?" he said.

"Of course," she said, "What about--"

"Yup."

"No, you're not suggesting," she said, giving him an incredulous look, "You want to?"

He nodded, "It'd be fitting now wouldn't it?"

She looked down and then up again, "I don't know where you come up with some of this stuff."

"I could tell you, but are you sure you want to delve that deep into my mind?"

She smirked and laughed as they finalized the plan they had for Kurt. At first it seemed rather simple, but now they actually had to think about it. Stephanie would never admit it, but she always had fun around Chris, even when they were just plotting. Why couldn't Hunter have been like this? Or maybe he was, but he was playing for the wrong side, if you didn't work with her, you were against her, and that was going to be Hunter's downfall.

The next Monday, Stephanie was walking down the hallway, thinking about what she was going to have to do.   Tonight was going to be all on her, and she was the one who had to pull this off.  Chris was the decoy, the distraction while she actually did the dirty work.  She thought it'd be fun.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Hunter said as he joined her side.

"Oh yes, much," she said, kissing his cheek, "Thank you for understanding."

"Next time though, I want to be the one to make you feel better," he whispered into her ear.

She looked up at him, "I'd love that."

"You want me to go get you some food or something."

Now was the perfect opportunity to make sure that Chris was keeping Kurt distracted.  Then she could do her part of the thing and be done with it for the rest of the night.  She nodded to Hunter and told him exactly what she wanted.  As he walked away, she had to make sure that Chris was taking care of Kurt.  She figured he was because he had told her that he would take care of him all evening.

She walked down to Kurt's locker room and knocked loudly.  There was no answer and she knocked again just in case.  Again there was no answer and no movement that she could hear from the inside.  That was a good sign.  She looked both ways down the hallway and didn't see anyone.  Figuring the coast was clear, she walked casually away from the door and slipped in through the door next to Kurt's.  She had deliberately put nobody in here because this door had an adjoining door to Kurt's locker room.

She walked over to the door that she knew led to Kurt's locker room.  Taking the keys she had taken from her father, she unlocked the door carefully, not making too much noise and opened Kurt's locker room door open slowly.  She peeked inside and saw that nobody was around.  Going in fully, she went over to the bench next to some lockers.  There, sitting, just as she had suspected was his gold medals.  She didn't know why he still brought those around.  Maybe he thought it'd help him score with the ladies.  Whatever it was, she didn't have time to ponder it as she snatched up one of the medals and quickly left the room just as she had found it.

She laughed silently as she closed the door behind her.  She had worn a skirt deliberately today and pulled it up all the way to her thigh.  There on her leg was a garter that she had worn especially for tonight.  She stuck the medal inside her garter so it was held firmly in place.  She smirked and went to the door leading back out into the hallway.  Seeing that nobody was still around, or if they were, they were occupied, she slipped back out and walked back to her locker room.  She leaned her head back against the couch and pretended to look in pain.  Hunter walked in the room, two plates of food in hand and looked at her.

"Steph, are you ok?"

"I have a headache," she said, opening her eyes, "All these wedding arrangements are just really bogging down on me."

"Oh Steph," Hunter said, putting the food down and sitting next to her, slipping his arm around her shoulder, "It'll all be over soon."

She looked at him, oh, truer words were never spoken, "Yeah, I know, I just, I think I need to go back to the hotel and rest."

"You want me to come with?"

"You have a match tonight," she said, "You can't let your fans down, I'll just take a taxi ride back to the hotel and after your match, which isn't that far off, since the show started about a half hour ago, you can come back to me."

"Ok, you sure you'll be fine?"

"Of course," she said, getting up and grabbing her purse, "Only a few more weeks left until we get married, I'm sure I'll manage until then."

"Good."

She left then and bit her lip, God how she hated thinking about that damn wedding.  She went out to the exit of the arena.  She stood out there for a few minutes before a black car with tinted windows pulled up in front of her.  She got in and the car drove off.  She smirked and looked over at the driver.

"Pays to have the first match doesn't it?" she asked.

"Definitely," he told her, "if only because I get to drive you around.  So you got it I assume?"

"I wouldn't have been waiting out there if I hadn't would I?"

"I knew you got it as soon as I saw you walking away from his locker room," Chris told her.

"You saw me?"

"I always see you," he replied cryptically.

"That's a little bit scary," she said, reaching over to rub his arm, "Where else do you watch me?"

"That's my secret," he said, glancing over at her with a smirk.

They reached the hotel and parked in the back parking lot.  Under the cover of night, nobody could see them.  To make them inconspicuous Stephanie walked around to the front of the hotel and walked in through the front entryway while Chris walked in the back way.  They met up at Chris's room and he let her walk inside first before going in and closing the door.

"So where is it?"

"Somewhere on me," she said with a coy smile, "But stupid me, I've forgotten where."

"So you want me to pat you down?"

"Would you?"

He shook his head and walked over to her, starting at her right leg and running them up the length of her leg, all the way up.  Stephanie gave a small gasp and he took his hands off of her and went down to her left ankle.  He slowly ran his hand up her leg and was met with the garter where the medal was hidden.  He unhooked her garter and took the medal out holding it up triumphantly.

"You found it," she said, clapping slowly, "Where's the camera?"

Chris nodded towards the table and Stephanie went over to get it for him.  Chris grabbed the medal and a blank white sheet of paper and set both on the bed, the paper underneath the medal.  Stephanie turned on the light and brought over the Polaroid camera.  She stood over the medal and then took the picture.  Chris grabbed his gloves and grabbed the picture and dropped in the envelope he had handy.

"So tomorrow, we go to the place and then we get the rest of the pictures?"

"Yeah," he said, "Do you have to get back to your room?"

"Unfortunately, yes," she said, "But tomorrow, I'm 'shopping,' so meet me in the designated meeting spot."

"Will do."

The next day rose bright and early and Chris got up as soon as his wake-up call came.  He went into the bathroom to get ready for the day.  He tucked his hair into a hat, making sure none of it showed and then changed into very touristy clothes, a Hawaiian print shirt, shorts, knee high socks and sandals, with a camera around his neck.  He stuck some sunglasses on and then grabbed the medal and stuck it in his pocket.  He smirked as he thought of what he and Stephanie were about to do.

He left his hotel room and walked down to the lobby and out the front of the hotel.  He and Stephanie were meeting a few blocks away.  He walked casually down the street, pretending to take pictures like a tourist would, trying to remain incognito.  He finally walked to the rendezvous point and saw Stephanie sitting on a bench.  He gave a small laugh as he saw her.  She was wearing a short red wig and an outfit similar to his, but more girly.  They definitely looked like a couple of tourists.

"Say one word, and I grab you by the dick and pull it off," Stephanie said, walking up to him.

"I didn't say anything," he told her, then snickered, "Should we go?"

"Once you get that stupid smirk off your face," she said, pushing some of the hair out of her face, "I feel like an idiot."

"Oh come on, you're willing to do anything to get revenge, but you're not willing to wear a fucking wig?"

"You're not wearing one."

"I'm wearing a hat, there's a difference," he pointed out, "Let's go get this over with."

"Wait, give me the medal," she said and he took it out of his pocket and gave it to her.  She took a pair of scissors out of her bag and proceeded to cut off the ribbon part of the medal where you put it around someone's neck.

"Are we ready now?"

"Yup."

They walked down the street to the local jeweler's that was around the corner.  They discussed what they should act like and finally decided on where they should be from and what their story should be.  They walked into the jeweler's and up to the man standing behind the glass counters.

"Hello," Chris said, "Ve are from what you call, France, an ve vanted you to make us new rings out of zis medal zat we bought at local…ah, how you say, pawn shop, do you do zees?"

"Yes," Stephanie said, in her accent, "Eet vas very tres beau, mais, oh, I am sorry, I speak Francais ven you speak the English.  Vee want to have new rings, just the gold."

"Well, yes, we can melt anything down make them into new rings, where is the item you purchased?"

Stephanie produced the medal, "Zee man at zee shop say that it is replica, but since eet izz not zee real thing, we melt.  We need two ring size seven and one five."

"Ok, this is fine."

"Vonderful," Chris said, clapping his hands, "Ven veel it be ready?"

"It should be done in a few hours, come back then and we'll have it done by then, you wanted two rings you said?"

"Tres if eet is possible," Chris said.

"Three, I think we'll be able to do that," the man said, "And your name?"

"Chevalier," Chris told the man, "Vee vill be back."

They left the medal there and walked out of the jeweler's bursting into laughter as soon as they were out the door.  They went to get food and chat while they waited for their rings to be finished.  When the few hours were up, they walked back to the jeweler's, hoping that the rings would be done.  Fortunately, it was and they took the three rings with them.

They grabbed one of them and wiped it off so there would be no fingerprints on it whatsoever.  They stuck it in the envelope with the picture of the medal itself.  On the front of the envelope was Kurt's address typed with a typewriter so nobody could identify the handwriting.  Stephanie took the water bottle she had bought earlier and swiped it across the envelope's seal as Chris sealed it shut.  They took it to the nearest mailbox and dropped it inside, laughing as they thought of what Kurt would think when he got it.

A few days later, Kurt was going out to get his mail.  One of his medals had gone missing and he had torn his entire house apart trying to look for it.  He had no luck yet.  He flipped through his mail and saw an interesting envelope.  He stopped in his front walkway and opened it up.  He pulled out the picture and saw his medal, then saw the ring.  He at first didn't make the connection, but there was a note stuck inside, with the typewriter writing he opened it up.

"Enjoy the ring, your medal was so easy to melt down.  It's true, it's true."

Kurt fell to his knees as the ring clattered to the ground.

Stephanie and Chris watched from across the street in their car.  They figured that the letter would arrive today, since they had called the post office to ask how soon it would reach Kurt.

"Mission accomplished," Stephanie cackled.  Chris smirked.

"Next."


	22. Chapter 22

_"Christian has a nasty little habit."_

_"One that we will exploit to the fullest of our abilities."_

Chris watched as Stephanie modeled off her wedding dress to him.  He held in his laughter because he knew that Stephanie hated it.  He did snicker however as she twirled around.  He had stopped by to talk about something with her and she had just picked it up.  The blessed event was in a week, and she looked miserable.

"You're right, you do look like a cotton ball," Chris said, tapping his chin, "You look like you're going to float away."

"Shut up," she said, "And help me get out of this thing."

"Undressing you.  Finally something I'm good at."

He walked up behind her and started unbuttoning the buttons that ran down her back.  She had only managed to button them up half-way herself, and the rest of the buttons were left open.  He ran his hand over her skin as it became exposed to him.  Finally all the buttons were unbuttoned and he pulled it down over her shoulders. 

"Thank you," she breathed.  He leaned in to kiss her neck, but she pulled away at the last minute, "And just what do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think?"

"Why Jericho, I'm getting married in a week's time, I can't be gallivanting with other men, what do you take me for?"

"A slut who wants a fuck just as much as I do," he told her, his voice low, "What better way than to have sex in your wedding gown to another man?"

Her eyes lit up at the prospect; that would be something.  Sex in her wedding dress, a dress she would be getting married to Hunter in.  Then when she wore it, no, she couldn't do that.  She just smiled at Chris and took the wedding dress off.

"No, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"You know," she said with a teasing lilt in her voice, "Now, talk to me about Christian."

"Well, Christian has a problem, a big problem," Chris told her, "He's into drugs.  And not just the occasional puff of a joint, I mean, the hard stuff."

Stephanie turned around, her eyebrow raised, "And how do you know this?"

"Because I'm an observant person," Chris said, "Know your enemies better than they know themselves."

"Snooping huh?"

"Yes, and let me tell you the man is a walking pharmacy and shit," Chris explained, "I'm talking everything under the sun.  You name it the guy has it.  It's a wonder he's still alive."

"Remind me to make sure you never have a match with him," Stephanie said, "I don't need you getting hurt."

"Aww, you care," he said, pretending to be extremely flattered, "You really do care about me Stephanie."

She rolled her eyes, "So about Mr. Drug Addict, what do we do to him?  Sure, there's the easy way, turning him into the police and getting him arrested.  But that's like executing someone without the torture, no fun at all.  So Christian needs to feel the pain."

"What did you have in mind?"

"We torture him, THEN we get him arrested," she said, "It's as simple as that.  We have our cake and eat it too."

"How do you propose we do that?"

All Stephanie did was smile.

Stephanie sat by her father's desk as he sat there working.  She was waiting for her mother to come back so they could go over some last minute wedding details.  She tapped her fingers lightly on the desk, staring around, bored to tears.  Where the hell was her mother?

"Stephanie, that's annoying," Vince said, without looking up from his work.

"Sorry Daddy," she mumbled, "Do you know where Mom is?"

"She's talking with some of the stockholder's in a conference call, she'll be back shortly," he answered, "How is the wedding coming along?"

Stephanie tried to sound enthusiastic, "Great Daddy!  I bet it'll be the most beautiful wedding this country has ever seen."

"It better be after the money I spent on it," he chuckled.

"But Daddy, aren't I worth it?" 

"Of course you are Princess," Vince said, sending her a kindly smile.  Stephanie figured it was just about the right time to bring up what she needed to say.  Her father was in a good mood, this would just crush him, or make him angry, they both worked.

"You know what I heard Daddy?"

"What?"

"That someone around here is into drugs, and I'm talking the bad stuff Daddy," she said, her eyes widening, "And that he goes out into the ring high most of the time."

"Who is this?" Vince demanded to know.

"I don't know Daddy, I just overheard someone talking about it, but I couldn't place the voice.  I didn't want to barge into a room and just ask what was going on," she said, "But there's someone Daddy.  Maybe you should talk to the roster."

"That's a very good idea Princess, I think maybe I'll issue random drug testing as well, starting this Thursday.  I do have that right as the owner of this company."

"That's right Daddy, and you really, really should."

"Yes, I should, I'm glad I thought of it."

"Me too," Stephanie nodded vehemently, "I'm going to go find Mom now and discuss the wedding."

"Don't wander too far, I'm going to call the meeting right now."

She nodded and proceeded to leave the room.  As she left, she saw Chris leaning against the wall and she nodded imperceptibly, so only he would notice and know the job was done.  Momentarily, a production assistant scurried into Vince's office after receiving a page from him.  A short while later, that same person came out to tell everyone there was a meeting.

Stephanie grinned as she walked towards the meeting room.  This little meeting should sufficiently scare the hell out of Christian.  She couldn't wait to either see or hear about the desperation that would come over Christian at the thought of a random drug test.  Then for sure he'd be in big trouble.  Jeff Hardy had been subject to it and look what happened to him.  She couldn't wait for the show to start.  And maybe, just maybe, they'd catch some other people as well and get them fired.  There were so many possibilities it made her giddy with excitement.

She met up with Hunter, unfortunately, in the meeting room and he pulled them towards the front of the room.  He held her hand tightly and started whispering sweet nothings into her ear.  She ignored him for the most part, imparting a little giggle now and then to make him think she was actually listening.  Chris sat behind her, and she could feel his presence.  Big Show was trying to get into the row behind him, and Chris had lean forward to let Big Show's gut get through the aisle.  As he leaned forward, he reached between the seats quickly and rubbed Stephanie's thigh lightly.

Stephanie jumped a little as she felt someone touching her, but she knew that touch well, and kept in the smirk as she pretended to look around the room nonchalantly.  Her eyes fell on Chris for a moment and she just gave him a look, not even a big one, just a look before turning her attention back to the front as Vince walked into the room.

"Everyone, it has come to my attention that there is someone or some people who are involved in drugs.  This is a very serious offense that I will not tolerate in my company.  Therefore I have no choice but to issue random drug testing on any wrestler or other personality.  I will not have any of you going out there with drugs in your system where you can injure one of your co-workers.  The first test will be this Thursday and will be the only one you are ever informed of.  Any and all persons who test positive will be subject to questioning.  You're dismissed."

Chris looked over at Christian, who had begun sweating half-way through the little announcement.  He already feared what would happen when he had to take the test.  If only Stephanie had made it for today, but this gave Christian at least two days to do something out of desperation.  And that was half the fun of it.  It was all just the fun of being as evil as possible, and they were evil.  This just cemented the fact.

"What's wrong man?" Chris asked as he and Christian walked down the hallway.

"Nothing," Christian said quickly, "I mean, can you believe what Vince said?  Drug testing!  I mean, stupid."

"Not if there's someone actually doing them," Chris said, "I know I wouldn't want to get in the ring with someone if they were on some sort of trip."

"Well…"  Christian didn't know what to say to that, so he just kept his mouth shut.  He was in trouble, big trouble, "What do you think Vince would do to the people who tested positive?"

"Fire them probably, or have them arrested," Chris answered, trying to instill a little more fear into Christian.

"Oh," Christian said, giving a short, scared laugh, "That sucks."

"Yeah, it really does, I pity the guy who's doing drugs."

Chris walked away from him then, glancing over his shoulder to see Christian sitting down heavily on one of the large crates in the hall.  He went back to his locker room to mull over his match later.  Then maybe he would find out just what Christian was doing.  He slipped into his room and went to lounge on the couch.  His cell phone rang and he picked it up.

"Jericho."

"It's me."

"How are you calling me?"

"Don't worry about that," she said, "What happened?"

"He's definitely worried.  He knows he's going to get caught.  The bait is set, now we just have to wait for the prey."

"Perfect," she purred into the phone, "I want to be there when it all goes down.  I should bring a hidden camera or something so that I can tape it."

There came a knock on the door, "I have to go Steph, there's someone at my door."

"Ok, but I will see you later right?" she asked softly and lustily.

"Of course, see you then."

Chris hung up the phone and went to go answer his door.  He opened it to find Christian on the other side.  He looked positively distressed and was wringing his hands nervously.  Chris let him walk into the room and Christian simply paced back and forth.  Chris watched, amused at his behavior.

"What's up?" Chris finally asked him.

"It's me," Christian said softly, "Vince was talking about me."

"You're on drugs!" Chris acted like he was surprised, when he had known for a while now.  You had to know these kinds of things when you wanted to bring someone to their knees in defeat.

"I didn't know where else to go.  Kurt is still crying over whatever happened to his medal and I couldn't go to Edge, he'd be so disappointed, what am I going to do Chris.  I don't know!"

"You need help man," Chris said, trying to sound supportive, "Maybe you should go tell Vince."

"Are you crazy!?!  He'd fire me on the spot!"

"Or maybe he would get you the kind of help you need."

"You think?"

"Maybe," Chris said, "But you really should just turn yourself in."

"Yeah, I think I'll do that," Christian said, "It's better than getting caught right."

"Yeah, hey, why don't you go wash up in the bathroom, you look like hell right now," Chris suggested, or rather demanded, because he needed to make a quick phone call, "It'll make you feel better."

"Yeah, good idea," Christian said, before disappearing into the bathroom.  Chris went to the farthest corner of the room and dialed Stephanie's number quickly, hoping against hopes that she answered.

"Hello?" she asked chirpily.

"Steph, you alone?"

"No, I think you have the wrong number, who are you trying to reach?"

"Ok, look, Christian is going to turn himself in, we can't have that, because I'm sure your dad would be too compassionate, so you need to sneak into his dressing room and dump out some of his stuff, he keeps it in his bag because he can't go that long without something, so you dump it out and then, I don't know, get your father to find it by leaving the door open or something."

"Yes, that is the right number, but you have the wrong person.  Ok."

"Good, see you soon then.  And hurry."

Stephanie hung up the phone and looked over at her mother, "Stupid wrong numbers.  Obviously, having my phone is distracting to making these plans.  I'm going to go take it to my dressing room.  Be back in a jiff."

Stephanie almost threw up at the chipper tone she had to take.  She left the room before her mother could protest and quickly made her way to Christian's dressing room.  She'd have to be extra careful because she hadn't planned for this.  Seeing nobody in the direct vicinity, she went into the locker room.  It was empty, thankfully.  She spotted the bag over by the side and grabbed one of his t-shirts to grab it with so there would be no fingerprints.  She saw a bag of something and casually tossed it on the ground in plain view of the door.  Thinking that would be more than enough, she put the shirt carefully back in its place and went out of the room as fast as she had come in.  Time to find her father.

She almost ran to her father's office, but caught her breath before hand and opened the door with a smile.  Her father was talking with Hunter and she sent a loving smile to both of them, going over to Hunter and giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek.  Then she turned to Vince and gave him her most innocently happy look ever.  She just hoped her face didn't freeze this way.

"Daddy, do you want to take a walk with me?" she asked.

"Why?"

"There's…things I want to discuss with you, and you know, we never really get to talk anymore, and I miss my Daddy," she said, giving a little pout.  She knew her father would never resist.

"What about Hunter?"

"Oh, Hunter can't hear this, I just want to talk about the wedding," Stephanie said with a giggle, "Because he can't hear about my dress, right baby?"

"Right," Hunter said with a smile as he grabbed her hand.

"Please Daddy?"

Vince gave in with a smile, "Ok Princess, let's go."

Stephanie clapped her hands cheerfully and slipped her arm through her father's as she walked with him out the door.  She turned and blew a kiss at Hunter, who pretended to catch it.  She faltered for a second and almost scowled, but soon replaced it with a dazzling smile.  

"Daddy, well, I just wanted to tell you about my dress, and it has a long train, so you know, we're going to have to walk slowly," she said, completely and totally unprepared for this conversation.  Damn Christian for not wanting to wait and make her think on her feet.

"That's fine Princess, how are your vows coming?"

"Splendidly Daddy," she responded, when in actuality she hadn't even written any vows.  If it came to it, she'd just lie or some shit like that.  Or make Chris write them and then laugh her head off at what he could come up with.

"Good, I can't wait to see you in your dress, you'll be so beautiful and I can't believe that my little girl is getting married," Vince said proudly.

Stephanie just listened to him gush as she steered their walking towards Christian's dressing room.  Her father kept wanting to go in other directions and she was about two seconds from dragging him to Christian's locker room and just pointing it out.  Finally, they reached the hallway where it was and she could already see people milling around.

"Yes Daddy, the whole thing will be beautiful," she said, then looked forward, pretending to be surprised, "Daddy, what do you think is going on there?"

Vince looked up and saw some people in a group up ahead, "I don't know, but it look suspicious."

"Very," Stephanie said as they walked up, "Let's go check."

They walked up to the group and several of them turned their heads to see Vince McMahon standing there sternly.  Their eyes widened as Vince looked around at them.  Stephanie faded into the background and just watched the show unfold before her eyes.

"What's going on around here?" Vince asked, his voice booming.

"We don't know Mr. McMahon, but um, you know how you said things about drugs this morning," Matt Hardy told him.

"Yes."

"Well, I went into Christian's locker room to talk to him about it, and well, um, there was something in there," Matt stuttered.

"What?"

"Well, that," Matt said, pointing to the bag that Stephanie had taken out earlier.

Vince's eyes narrowed, "Where is Christian now?"

"I don't know sir," he answered.

"Well, wherever he is, whoever finds him, send him immediately to my office," Vince said, turning on his heel and heading straight back to his office.  Stephanie followed wordlessly.  Vince barged back into his office to see Hunter, Chris, and Christian sitting there.  Stephanie ran back into the room a bit after her father.  She stopped short as she saw who was there.  Her instinct told her to go sit with Chris, but she went over to Hunter and sat on his lap that he invited for her.

Stephanie glanced down and then at Hunter as he kissed her and whispered to her what was going on.  She nodded silently and looked over at Chris.  He was looking over at her, but Hunter couldn't see it from behind her hair.  He looked kind of pissed, and she couldn't figure out why.  His gaze reverted back to Vince, who was sitting there coldly.

"Christian, it has come to my attention you are doing drugs, and I can't have that in my company, the authorities will handle it now," Vince said, as he started dialing the phone, "Perhaps they'll get you in rehab, but I can't have someone bringing that kind of thing into my building."

"But sir, I was going to get--"

"I don't want to hear about it," Vince said, "I have a zero tolerance policy around here and this is what's going to happen.  I understand this is a problem, which is why you may be able to get your job back, but only after you're clean."

"Oh."

Vince called the police, for what seemed the five hundredth time, but only Stephanie and Chris knew exactly why.  At least this time, Christian really had brought it upon himself.  He should've learned to keep his secret more hidden.  It wasn't his fault he was so…careless.  The police came to take Christian away after collecting their evidence.  Chris just sat there, pretending to act devastated, but it was really to be around Stephanie.  Hunter excused himself for a second as Chris sat there with his head in his hands, like he was really mulling this over.  Hunter was none the wiser as he looked up to see Stephanie sitting there, her legs crossed and her arms folded.  They stared at each other for a long second.

That was it, they were done with everyone…except one.

Hunter's time had come, and he was going to get it the worst of all, finally it was his turn.

Hunter would never know what hit him.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: This chapter is based around the song, "Untouchable," by Garbage.

**To read the original version with song lyrics go to: bitter-solemnity. com /fics /FAR.php (just get rid of the spaces).

* * *

**

_"So that's it huh?"_

_"That's it."_

_"That's pretty complicated Stephanie."_

_"No, it's not, not if it's planned right, and trust me, I'll plan it just right."_

_"Fine, it's your game, play it how you want."_

She was getting married in two days. She almost couldn't believe that the time had come for her to marry Hunter. Maybe because she really didn't want to marry Hunter. He was a calculating, conniving bastard, and not the good kind either. But she would go tonight and play the part, play the loving daughter who was excited for her nuptials. She really should just marry him and take all his money for herself. But no, that would be too time intensive.

"Are you ready yet?" Hunter called from the other side of the door.

She smoothed out her dress, "Yeah, I'm ready."

She walked out of the bathroom and Hunter just about gasped. She was looking stunning. He could just imagine what she'd look like in her wedding dress and he couldn't wait to see her walking down that aisle. She would truly be a vision. He walked over to her and kissed her lightly.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said, "Shouldn't we get to the rehearsal?"

He took her hand, "Let's go and get this over with."

They drove to the church they were getting married at. It was a lovely old colonial church, a ways away from the city, so it was quaint and historical. Stephanie yawned as they walked inside it, where everyone in the wedding was waiting. There were only going to be her and him up at the altar, because they had insisted all eyes focus on them, but their families were there and sitting in the pews.

They stood in the front of the church as the priest went over the proceedings that would happen. Stephanie tried to pay attention, smiling sweetly over at her fiancé, but truth be told, she'd rather be anywhere than here. She wondered what Chris was doing right now. She knew he had a lot to do for the plan, but he had volunteered, seeing as how she was so busy with this damn wedding.

"So that's basically how the ceremony will go," the priest concluded, "And then you two will walk down the aisle."

"Sounds good," Hunter answered, "Steph?"

"Yeah, sounds great, I'm so nervous," she said coyly.

"Oh don't worry, everyone usually is," the priest responded with a chuckle, "You won't be the first bride-to-be who's gotten cold feet."

"I'm sure I'm not," she giggled.

"Come on you two," Linda said, "We're going to dinner."

Stephanie let Hunter lead her out of the church. She could almost picture the wedding now. It made her sick to her stomach. Hunter drove them to a nice restaurant, where she had to dine with the loonies she called her family. Even Shane was there, though he scowled most of the night. Vince and Linda must've forced him to come. She didn't want him here as much as he didn't want to be here.

"So what are your plans for tomorrow?" Hunter whispered to her.

"Oh, Mom and I are getting manicures and pedicures tomorrow morning, then I'm going to my masseuse, you know, to loosen up," she said with a giggle, "Then tomorrow night, I'm just going to enjoy my last night of freedom by myself."

"By yourself?" he asked, "Why?"

She smiled, like hell she'd tell him, instead, she responded with, "Because it'll give me time to reflect on how my life is going to change."

He kissed her softly, "I love you."

"Oh, I love you too Hunter."

The next day, she went with her mother like planned. It wasn't fun at all, with her mother gushing about the wedding and all that. Stephanie pretended to be interested, but she couldn't have been more bored if they made her sit through all of Hunter's matches in a row. Thankfully, the manicure and pedicure only took a few hours and she was finally free from her mother. She gave her mother one last hug before she left and then took off for the masseuse.

She was very tense, according to her masseuse, needed to get the knots out. His hands were heavenly, and if she weren't otherwise attached, she probably would've turned around and tried to hit on the guy. But she had things to think about for that evening. She needed to make sure everything was in order. She wasn't going to be spending the evening alone, far from it.

Chris gathered up the things that he had had to pick up today, and took them out of his car. It was already getting dark, but she had insisted that he park at least a block away so nobody would see his car in her driveway. He walked up to the house, the bag in his hands and got the spare key from on top of her door, unlocking it and walking inside. It was pretty dark downstairs, but he saw a light glow from upstairs and headed up that way.

He walked down the long hallway to her bedroom, where the door was ajar and a light was coming through. He walked slowly, wondering why it was so damn quiet. He almost didn't want to call out and break that silence, but he needed to know where Stephanie was.

"Stephanie?" he called out into the quiet house.

"Chris, you're not supposed to see me yet!" she screamed from her bedroom.

"But I'm practically at the door…and why are you succumbing to silly traditions?"

"I'm not, but I'm naked."

"Then I'm definitely coming in," he said, pushing the door open and seeing the light coming from her closet, "Getting dressed?"

"Yeah," she told him, "Did you get the stuff?"

"Uh huh, got all of it, after this thing is over, we can celebrate all night long," he said with a laugh.

She came out of the closet in a simple white wedding dress. It looked like a slip the way it clung to her skin. It was a shiny fabric, probably silk and was held on by a tie at the top. It clung to her every curve and his jaw dropped. It was the first time Stephanie's appearance with clothes had left him speechless. Her hair hung over her shoulders in brown curls and she had a snow white lily in her hair.

"Wow," was all he could say.

She smiled, genuinely, "Thanks, this was the dress that I wanted to get, but my mother thought it wasn't appropriate…so you know what, screw her, I'll get married in whatever I fucking want. You don't look so bad yourself."

Chris was in a simple black tuxedo, that was freshly pressed and fitted to his body, but he couldn't even thank her because he was still breath-taken by her beauty. He knew Stephanie, inside and out, and she still shocked him from time to time, even when she didn't mean to.

"So are we going to go?" she asked, "Where are we going exactly?"

"Well, since we decided on this weeks ago," he told her, "I booked us a church, I know, cheesy and all that, but well, you know, I think we deserve at least a nice wedding."

"Yeah, but it's pretty late," she said, looking over at the clock, "Oh, it's only 7:30."

"Yeah, so let's get going, I scheduled us for eight, I spent all day getting the church ready."

"But it's only us," she said walking over to him and grabbing their marriage license as he grabbed their rings.

"True, but come on, you know you didn't want to get married in some cheesy ceremony."

"It's just us," she said as they walked downstairs, "We're getting married for revenge."

"Yeah, I know," he told her, "But come on, we have to at least make it believable."

"You're right," she replied, walking down the street to his car.

The ride was fairly quiet, at least for the two of them. They were both nervous, surprising them both. They were getting married to get back at Hunter, at least that was part of the plan. Then why were they so nervous about this? Stephanie looked down and she was actually shaking with nerves. She didn't shake, the world shook, the world was supposed to fear her, so why was she fearing the world?

Chris noticed this and glanced over, "We can back out you know, think of something else…you can just not show up or something?"

"No," she said, "I'm fine."

"I know the idea of marrying me is revolting, being stuck with one guy, trust me, I'm not looking forward to spending my life with one girl, I never thought it would come to that."

She rolled her eyes, "Sorry."

"Well, at least it's you. You wouldn't care if I decided to have an affair."

She swung her head around, "So you'd cheat on me?"

"Well come on, I like the ladies, I never thought I'd be getting married."

"Ok, you can go out and have your fun," she said, rubbing his leg, "But I'll go out and have mine too."

Chris smirked as he felt her rubbing his leg. They pulled up to the church and she looked at it. It was nice enough; she liked it. He got out of the car and ran over to her side to open the door for her and help her out. She didn't know what to expect when she walked inside, fire, brimstone, perhaps, she was the one getting played and everyone she knew would be in there, ready to laugh at her. What was really in there was the last thing she suspected.

All of the lights were turned off and Chris had had candles placed everywhere. They were on the edge of the aisles, up on the altar. It was fire alright, but it was so romantic. When did Chris know how to get romantic? He smiled at her as they walked hand in hand towards the priest. Stephanie couldn't believe the lengths Chris had gone to make this authentic.

The ceremony was relatively short, no special vows or anything. They slipped the rings made out of Kurt's gold medal on their fingers and just like that, they were married. The priest congratulated them and they kissed, though not as passionately as usual. The priest had told them how romantic this wedding had been, and wished them the best of luck. They almost felt bad that this was merely for revenge. ALMOST.

"So it's over," Stephanie said, as they blew out all the candles, "I'm married."

"Yeah, so am I," Chris said, "So what are the benefits of this again?"

"I can fuck you whenever you want now," she said with a smirk, "I could fuck you right here if you wanted."

"In the church?"

"Yes, in the church."

"I know I'm going to hell Stephanie, but I'm not going to be going that far deep," he said, blowing out the last of the candles, "Let's get out of here and you can service me while I'm driving, how's that?"

"No fun," she said, shaking her head as they walked out of the church into the dark night, "Thanks by the way."

"For what?" he asked.

"Marrying me, getting me out of marrying Hunter."

"You would've figured out a way by yourself," he said as they got in their car.

"I'm not so sure, I probably would've married that asshole," she said bitterly, "But now I don't have to."

"You were too good for him anyways."

"Yeah…"

The rest of the night was filled with flowing champagne, and lots of fucking. Finally, Chris's desire for Stephanie didn't have to go unfulfilled. Neither one of them spoke about being married; it seemed almost insubstantial. They didn't marry for love, or even for money, it was simply revenge. But nobody said revenge didn't have its benefits.

Stephanie woke up the next morning, a married woman, though everyone else thought today was her wedding day. She looked over to the man sleeping next to her; the man who she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. It wasn't such a bad thought, at least she wouldn't end up alone.

"Chris," she said shaking him.

"What?" he mumbled.

"I have to go get ready for you know what."

"Oh," he said, opening his eyes, "You going to be ok?"

"Don't start caring about me now that we're married," she said, "I'm always fine."

She got out of bed, and walked to her closet. Chris just watched her naked form retreat into the closet. She always said she never needed anyone, but he feared that wasn't true, but far be it for him to care, even if she was his wife. Wife, that was such a scary word. Stephanie walked back out in a light dress.

"You'll get my things for me then, the things I want," she said.

"Yeah, I'll get them," he nodded, "You going?"

"Uh huh," she said, "Don't worry, it'll all go off without a hitch."

"It better Stephanie, or you know, things could go terribly wrong."

"They won't, not after what happened, you did the thing right?"

"Yeah, I did the thing, and it's done, and everything," he said, knowing what she was referring to.

"Good, til later then."

She walked over to him and gave him a heart-stopping kiss. She pulled away with a smirk. Today was the day when it all ended, for better or for worse. She glanced one more time at Chris, giving him a wink before leaving. To go pull off this plan once and for all. Or so he hoped.

Hunter was sound asleep when the phone started ringing. He tried to slap it away, but then opened his eyes. Today was his wedding day. He was getting to marry Stephanie today. He sat up quickly and rubbed his eyes, a grin on his face. He laughed at his good fortune and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hunter?" It was Linda's voice, and it sounded hoarse with tears.

"Yeah?" Hunter said, his stomach dropping.

"Stephanie's been in an accident," Linda said, "She's at the hospital right now. It's bad, it's really, really bad."

Hunter was out of bed and into some clothes in ten seconds. He threw the phone down and ran out of his house, jumping his car with his pants still unbuttoned. He tore his way through the streets, trying to get to the hospital quickly. He was beyond worried; Stephanie was hurt and in the hospital. Finally he arrived and rushed in, still dressing himself. The nurse directed him towards emergency and Vince and Linda were already there.

"Where is she?" he demanded to know.

"She's in with the doctors," Vince explained, "They don't think she'll make it."

With those words, Linda sobbed and broke down against Vince. Hunter backed himself into a corner and slid down the wall, crying to himself. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, when had it turned into the worst? He sat there crying for who knows how long, but finally a doctor came through the double doors.

"How is she?" Vince asked, since he was the most composed of the three.

"She's slipping away," the doctor said bluntly, "The internal bleeding is too much, we can't stop it, we wanted to let you know so you could come say goodbye while she's still conscious."

Hunter stood up shakily and his lip quivered. Stephanie was dying and there was nothing he could do. Her parents were stricken and looked as if they were about to faint, or throw up, or both even. Hunter tried to walk, but found his feet heavy, like he was wearing cement boots. He dragged them forward though, since he was getting closer to those double doors. They seemed to swing open by themselves and he found himself through them, and it was so dark.

They were lead to a room, and inside, there lay Stephanie. She looked somewhat peaceful, lying there. Almost like Sleeping Beauty, except her eyes were open. Her blue eyes seemed as cold as ice, showing how far gone she really was. They were glassy and they stared through him. She had some bruises on her face, but other than that, she looked fine, but just because she was fine on the outside, didn't mean she was fine on the inside. He walked over and grasped her hand. The cold hand of death was already upon her as he felt her chilled hands.

"Steph?" he said, trying to sound hopeful, "Hey there baby."

She looked up at him, "Chris…."

Hunter scowled, "What about him?"

"He was my only friend, and he's gone," she said, her voice soft, like a cool summer's breeze, here one moment, drifting away the next.

Hunter felt terrible, he had lied to her and manipulated her, but he had thought it was for good reason. Now, he wasn't so sure. They were just friends. Nobody had ever seen them kiss or anything, and he should've trusted Stephanie. All his lies and sins were coming to the surface as she lay there dying.

"Stephanie, I came up with a whole stupid plan to get you two apart, I'm so sorry," he said as he started to cry.

"I know," she whispered, "I know, it'll be alright."

"I should get the priest up here and he can marry us, I want to marry you so bad."

Stephanie managed a smirk, "Can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Just…no," she said, thinking about her husband, wherever he was. She wished he were here to see her.

"I love you Stephanie."

"Mom, Dad?" Stephanie said, turning her head slowly, "I want to say goodbye."

Her parents walked over and she looked at them. Now that she saw them, and knew how much they loved her, she felt bad for what she had done, what she was doing. They had been good to her, even when she didn't deserve it. Now that her time was here, she was sorry she had hurt them, even though they didn't know it.

"Bye Mommy, bye Daddy," she said with a sad smile.

"Goodbye my love," Linda said, kissing Stephanie's forehead, "You be good ok?"

She nodded, "I love you Mommy."

"I love you too."

"Bye Daddy, don't go too crazy in the business ok," she said, with a small smile, "Give the people what they want."

"I'll try Princess."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Her heart monitor started to slow down, and they could see her slipping away slowly. She gazed at them all sadly as she heard it. Hunter was holding her hand tightly, willing God to not let her go. This wasn't supposed to happen; they were supposed to be getting married, in a church, they were supposed to be happy. She wasn't supposed to do this.

"I love…" Stephanie choked out, "I love C-"

"Stephanie, don't talk, I know you love me," Hunter said, kissing her one last time.

The heart monitor beeped continuously.

Stephanie was dead.


	24. Chapter 24

Instead of a wedding, there was a funeral. Everyone in the company was beyond shocked. It just didn't seem fair or right that Stephanie had died on her wedding day. Even the people who hated her and plotted against her, hadn't wished death upon her, but death had come much too early for Stephanie McMahon. Or as only she and Chris knew, Stephanie McMahon- Jericho.  
  
Yes, Chris had found out, and he had thought that it would hurt a lot more than it would. He was right for the most part. Thinking of Stephanie dead, it hurt him, beyond any hurt that he could've imagined. She was his partner-in-crime, his confidante...his wife. Though nobody knew that, and nobody ever would know Stephanie as his wife. It was better that way actually.  
  
The funeral was in a few of days, according to everyone. He was going, of course he was going, he was married to her, it would've looked bad on his social conscience not to go to his wife's funeral. The plans he had for that day had to be cancelled, but it was fine, he'd go, and mourn and try not to think about her.  
  
Hunter was devastated and that alone made Chris want to laugh. The bastard had never deserved Stephanie, and now he wouldn't get her ever again. It was almost sweet justice, if a person didn't have to die to get it. Every time he saw Hunter, whenever he came out of his house, his eyes were bloodshot and his hair unkempt. Looked like someone hadn't been sleeping. Chris had been sleeping fine.  
  
Stephanie's parents were also beside themselves. Linda hadn't shown her face in days, locking herself in her room, and Vince was like a robot, just going through the motions. He wondered if Stephanie would like to see that. He decided that she would, despite her feelings towards her parents. He wanted to laugh at them too.  
  
Maybe laughter was the only way to get through this whole silly thing. He marries Stephanie, and then she dies. He was still confused, but maybe that was just a cover-up. Thinking about Stephanie dead wasn't pleasant and so he kept his thoughts and actions occupied.  
  
They had done a show dedicated to her the other day. It was a good show, very poignant. The only thing that had bothered him was everyone saying how great she was, how special and wonderful she was. They had all hated her, why were they changing their opinions now that she was dead? He guessed he should've prepared himself for this. Once a person dies, their faults disappear.  
  
"I still can't believe she's gone," Dawn said as she walked with Chris down the hallway, "How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm fine," he said casually, "Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"You and Stephanie were friends."  
  
"We were," he said, still in casual mode.  
  
"Don't you have any feelings towards her death?"  
  
"I might," he told her, "But don't worry about them."  
  
"It's alright to be sad Chris, we all are."  
  
"Be sad all you want," he said, "You're not the one she betrayed, for all I care, good riddance."  
  
That was a lie, but he couldn't take it back. He wanted to scream at everyone that she wasn't a good person; that they knew she wasn't. He almost hated being here. He loved wrestling more than anything, but he could leave it behind. It might be best to leave it behind since it was so intrinsically tied with Stephanie.  
  
"That's not right to speak ill of the dead," Dawn said.  
  
"But it's ok to speak ill when they're alive, whatever," he said.  
  
"Chris, I can tell you're hurting," Dawn said, putting a hand on his arm.  
  
"I'm not, but I am thinking about quitting the company."  
  
"What?" she asked, in shock from his statement.  
  
"You got me Dawn, I'm hurting because Stephanie is gone. She was my friend, my best friend and now she's...dead. I don't think I can be part of the company anymore. Maybe I can take a desk job or something, but being around the arena, knowing that she should be here, it's too much."  
  
"Oh," Dawn said sympathetically as she saw the pain in Chris's eyes, "If that's what you want Chris, do that."  
  
"I might," he said, baring his soul, "I think I'll go talk to Vince right now."  
  
Chris left her then, Dawn staring after him sadly, watching him drag his feet. He found Vince's office and knocked quietly, knowing the man was in pain. A gruff voice called out for him to come inside and he walked in. Vince was at his desk, looking at something. As Chris walked closer, he saw it was a picture of Stephanie as a little girl.  
  
"What can I do for you Chris?"  
  
"Well Vince, as you know, Stephanie and I were friends," he started, seeing Vince flinch at the mention of Stephanie's name, "Best friends actually..."  
  
"Yes, I know," he said, still staring at the picture.  
  
"I don't think I can work here anymore, not without her here," he said.  
  
Vince finally looked up at him, "You're quitting?"  
  
"Well, I was wondering actually if there was any way I could still be with the company but you know, not travel?"  
  
"Well, as you know Stephanie's," he choked her name out, "job is open. If you want to be a writer, you could work out of your home if you want...and if you want to travel, you have the option."  
  
"I'd like that Vince," Chris said, "Thank you."  
  
"No, thank you for being such a good friend to her."  
  
And being her husband, Chris thought.  
  
"You know, wherever she is, and I'm sure she's really close, I think she's happy, I know she's happy," Chris said with a little smile, "We should be happy for her."  
  
"Thanks Chris," Vince said, "We'll get you a new contract."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Oh, Chris, um, I hate to ask you this, but you may be the only one around here who can do it. Stephanie...well, the mortician called and said she needed something to be buried in and...Linda can't do it, she's...well, not well, and Hunter isn't up to it either, and I'm...I'd just rather not. Would you mind going to her house and picking something out for her?"  
  
"I'll do it Vince," he said.  
  
"You don't know how much this means to us," Vince said as he handed him her keys, "You should be able to find something."  
  
The next day, Chris found himself in Stephanie's closet. He inhaled deeply, yup, it still smelled like her. He looked around at all the clothes. How had he ended up here exactly? He didn't want to be here, but he had to be...for Stephanie, he guessed, or whatever, he didn't know anymore. He laughed as he went through some of her old lingerie, wouldn't it be hilarious if he gave that to the mortician. Or maybe not, if someone found out. But word had it, that she had wanted closed casket because she didn't want anyone looking at her while she was dead. She had said once that she'd rather be remembered with a smirk on her face than some cold, blue lips. When had she said that? He remembered and gave a small laugh.  
  
He leafed through the various clothes and settle on a strappy black dress. He remembered the dress from when she had worn it a couple of times when they went out to dinner or something. He thought about just leaving it there, but took it anyways, might as well. He'd have to drop these off soon.  
  
The next few days were a blur. They had found Stephanie's will, complete with instructions on her funeral. It was to be closed casket, she had insisted on that. Everything, down to what her headstone said were laid out for her family to follow. Before anyone knew it, they were at the church, wearing black, listening to the priest talk about Stephanie.  
  
It was the same church she was supposed to marry Hunter in. The irony was not lost on anybody there. Chris sat in the back, just watching, looking at the picture they had chosen to use of her. Her casket lay up there, and he stared at it, not liking the picture it created.  
  
"Chris, man, you sure you're ok?" Kurt asked as he saw Chris staring forward intensely.  
  
"Yes," Chris snapped with a loud whisper.  
  
The priest spoke, "Now we will have Hunter come up for the eulogy."  
  
Hunter stood up solemnly and went up to the podium. He cleared his throat and looked down at Stephanie's casket, a plethora of lilies adorned on the top. Chris saw the lilies and smiled, thinking about how she had worn a lily in her hair at their wedding. He smiled at that thought. At least Stephanie had gone out with a bang.  
  
"Stephanie was the love of my life."  
  
Chris rolled his eyes at that.  
  
"I loved her more than anything and I can't believe she's gone. It's almost surreal. We were supposed to be here for our wedding. She was supposed to be wearing white and walking down the aisle, not carried in a casket. I'm going to miss her, everything about her. Her smile, her laugh, the way she spoke. She was a light in my world. The light that made everything better."  
  
Chris had never heard anything so cheesy in his life.  
  
"I don't know what I'm going to do without her. I miss her so much, she was...beautiful, and I just--"  
  
It was at this moment that Hunter chose to break down. He started sobbing and clung to the podium, unable to finish. Vince rushed up there and helped him to his seat. This was the final straw for everyone, there was only one dry eye in the house, and that belonged to Chris.  
  
"If there is anyone else who would like to say a few words or share a memory about Stephanie, we invite you to come up now."  
  
Some people got up, said a few nice things about Stephanie and then sat down again. They all lied, telling everyone how great Stephanie had been, and how smart and beautiful and kind. It made Chris sick to see this terrible display. Once JR sat down, Chris stood up.  
  
"Chris, what are you doing?" Edge asked lowly.  
  
"I'm going to talk about Stephanie."  
  
Chris scooted to the aisle and walked down the aisle slowly, his eyes trained on the casket the entire time. He ran his finger over it lightly as he went up the few steps to the podium. He stared out at everyone crying and just shook his head. Bunch of hypocrites they were; it disgusted him.  
  
"Stephanie was my friend," he started off saying, "And this whole thing sucks. Her dying, this funeral, it all sucks. Stephanie and I had a fight."  
  
This made all those people present who were in on the plan squirm in their seats.  
  
"She never apologized," he said, "I hated her for that, I hated her up until the moment she died, and I think that most of you did too. Stephanie had many, many faults, and not one of you can tell me she didn't. But those faults made her fun to be around, and a good person to boot. Good to me at least, and maybe to Hunter, but to the rest of you, I'm sure that you hated her. It's fine; you can hate her. Just because she's dead doesn't mean you can't hate her. I hate her because she left, how's that? I hate that she's not here, or if she is, I don't where, maybe she's hovering over us now, looking down and laughing because she got us all to think she was great. It would be very Stephanie to have her laugh at us."  
  
He made eye contact with some people in the crowd.  
  
"Steph will be missed, but don't miss her for the wrong reasons, miss her because your lives are going to be dull without her."  
  
Chris came down from the podium while everyone digested what he said. It was all the truth, and everyone knew it too. He walked back down the aisle to his seat, Edge looking over at him, partly in shock, and partly in understanding. Leave it to Chris to say what was really on everyone's minds.  
  
"That took guts," Kurt whispered.  
  
"Yup," Chris said, "But it'll all be fine, trust me. It needed to be said."  
  
Nobody went after Chris; nobody knew quite what to say following that. It would be a lie if someone went up there and exalted her. So the funeral was over and the pallbearers took up the casket and walked out slowly. Chris hung back a little, watching as it was loaded into the hearse.  
  
The drive to the cemetery was slow and almost agonizing. Chris followed the long procession to the cemetery and parked where he was designated to park. It was a nice, little cemetery. Well-kept and airy, but cemeteries were always well-kept. He got out of his car and looked around, yes, this would be a nice place for an eternal resting place. He walked over to where everyone was gathered and watching the casket be put on the little stand in front of the grave.  
  
He looked around at all the people who were attending. Many people were crying, and sobbing, and it wasn't a pretty sight. There were some people he didn't know standing off to one side. Maybe they were old college friends. He sized them up and saw one particularly good-looking woman. She was wearing a large brimmed hat and a tasteful black dress. He could see her jet-black curls falling around her face as she stood with her head slightly down.  
  
Maybe he would go to hell for checking out other women at his wife's funeral, but he was heading to hell anyways, he might as well have fun while he was here. He made a mental note to talk to the woman after the funeral was over. It didn't hurt to move on so quickly after this. That was the right thing to do after all.  
  
The priest said a few words and then started to have the casket lowered into the ground. People were sobbing, crying, Hunter looked like he was seconds away from throwing himself into the grave. That would be pretty funny, especially for a guy that had to manipulate the woman to get her to marry him. Finally, the casket was at the bottom and everyone was throwing the roses they had been given into the open grave.  
  
Chris walked closer and threw his in, hearing the thud that it made when it hit the casket. He walked away, not looking back at that grave. He didn't want to. Eventually everyone had thrown their piece in and they stood there, just staring. Chris hung around the back as everyone started to leave. People filled out slowly, most of them standing around, talking to each other before heading to the reception.  
  
He was left alone standing there, staring at her headstone, at the open grave. They hadn't started filling it in yet, but that was probably for the best, since he just wanted a moment alone. He looked at her headstone:  
  
Stephanie McMahon  
  
"An angel walked among us for a while, but she was called home again"  
  
He laughed at it. Stephanie could NOT have thought that up. If she had, then it was just laced with sarcasm. There's no way she could say that with a straight face. An angel, she was never an angel. Maybe when she was a child, but certainly not as an adult, not after the things she had pulled. But he laughed nonetheless because leave it to Stephanie to lie even after her death.  
  
He turned around from the grave and looked at the people a little ways down the hill, talking and crying together. He saw the woman that he had seen earlier, she was hanging around, looking at the other people there. Might as well make his move now. He sauntered over to her and stuck out his hand.  
  
"Chris Jericho."  
  
"Mary Stephans," she replied, shaking his hand, "How did you know Stephanie?"  
  
He smiled, "Intimately."  
  
"Rather straightforward aren't we?"  
  
"I'm in grief," he said, "I barely made it through the funeral."  
  
"That makes two of us," she said, "Stephanie and I went way back."  
  
"Oh, so it would be totally inappropriate for me to flirt with you at her funeral?"  
  
She gazed at him over her tinted sunglasses, "It would, but I think I can let it slide just this once."  
  
"So Mary, what are you doing after the funeral?"  
  
"I wasn't doing anything," she told him, "I was supposed to be getting back to someone, but they can wait."  
  
"Good, because I didn't want to look foolish asking you out on a date and you having plans."  
  
"Date? A bit hasty don't you think?"  
  
"Not any hastier than I have been," he answered, "So, you in?"  
  
"What have I got to lose?"  
  
"Nothing," he replied, "Nothing at all."  
  
They walked down the hill together and Chris looked over at the woman. Now that Stephanie was gone, he was going to have to find someone else to plot with. Maybe someone to settle down with. Maybe this whole thing would set him on the course to being a good person. He paused to think about that last one, and laughed. Him, being good? After the things he had done, after the things he was doing?  
  
Not in a million years. 


	25. Chapter 25

The sun was low in the sky, it was going to get dark soon, but it was still beautiful watching the sun dip into the blue, now almost black, ocean. It was like this every night, adding to the mystique of the island. The sun was shining straight onto the villa-type home along the beach, stretching far and wide with balconies and a long porch. Chris sat on the beach, sipping his margarita. It was heavenly. He was so glad that he had decided to buy a house in Hawaii. One with his own private beach; this was surely the only way to live. Well, it wasn't his alone; he had to share it. But he didn't really mind that.  
  
He glanced over at the beach chair next to him, "I love this."  
  
"I love it too," she said with a slight smirk as she watched the waves crashing in front of them, "Remind me again why we moved here."  
  
He laughed, "I need to remind you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I think you know why."  
  
"Ok, yeah, I do," she said.  
  
"So what do you think about all this Mary, happy, not happy?"  
  
"Don't call me Mary."  
  
"But I thought that was your name?"  
  
"We've been married a year today and you're still calling me that, you know I hate it."  
  
"You do?" he said, acting shocked, "This is news to me!"  
  
She got up off her beach chair and went the short distance to his. She threw her leg over the other side so she was standing above him. She took off her sunglasses and smiled down at him. He looked up at the short, jet black curls that framed her face and his eyes traveled down to the barely there black bikini that she was wearing. He let his eyes wander back up to her face. Her blue eyes were shining and he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What are you doing Mrs. Jericho?"  
  
"Nothing," she replied. But then she proved she was doing something by sitting down on top of him, straddling his lap. She ran her hands over his chest as he just sipped at his drink and watched her. She leaned in to kiss him softly and he kissed back, pulling her closer with his free hand, his other hand placing his drink on the table between the two chairs. She pulled away and suddenly she looked incredibly nervous. This was a new one for him, and he was anticipating the next words that came out of his mouth.  
  
"There's one thing that's been missing from our marriage, and I think it's about time I made a confession," she said, "And please bear with me because I hate this mushy shit."  
  
"Go ahead," he told her, looking up with a smile.  
  
"I love you," she said quickly, embarrassedly, "There said it, its out there, you don't have to say it back, its just out there and stuff and its yeah, out there."  
  
"Oh Mary!" he said, sitting up, "I never knew you felt that way."  
  
"Ugh," she grunted, shoving him back down onto his beach chair, "What have I told you repeatedly?"  
  
"That I'm hot, and you want to fuck me all the time?"  
  
"Besides that?"  
  
"I love you too," he blurted out, "So there, they're both out there, they're floating around and nothing has to come from it."  
  
"I thought you did," she said playfully, but actually she looked relieved, "In fact, I knew you did."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yes," she said kissing up his chest quietly, her kisses hotter than the sun shining down on them, "From the moment you saw me in my wedding dress."  
  
"Yeah, you were looking hot that night Mary."  
  
"Shut up," she said with a sneer pulling away to look him in the face, "If you don't call me what I want, I'll take away the fucking."  
  
"To the man you love?"  
  
"Yes," she said without hesitation, "If I can take away the sex, then what do you have?"  
  
"Damn you Stephanie McMahon."  
  
"McMahon-Jericho," she said in a sing-song voice, "Don't forget the Jericho."  
  
"Oh, how could I ever forget that?"  
  
She leaned down against his chest, pressing her breasts against his well- sculpted body, "A year ago tomorrow, I was dead. Who knew that faking your own death would be so damn easy?"  
  
"It wasn't that easy," he said, "I was the one who had to do all the damn work."  
  
"Don't be a such a pussy, I was the one that had to do all the 'dying,' cough cough, oh Hunter, I'm dying, pray for me," she laughed, "Dumbass wanted to marry me on my deathbed. What the hell is that? I mean, oh, we were married for two minutes, how romantic. Please, it's not even a marriage if you don't consummate it."  
  
"And how many times did we consummate ours?" Chris asked with a raised eyebrow, "Six, seven."  
  
"You wish Marathon Man," she laughed, "You should've seen my Oscar-worthy performance. It was all so dramatic."  
  
"I'm sure it was, but I was off making sure that the seventeen million dollars you put into your secret bank account went through alright."  
  
"Yeah, but I was the one who had to ruin my own car and make it look like I was in an accident."  
  
"Yes, but I was the one who had to attend your funeral."  
  
"I was there!" she protested, "I was in the back, and you know you saw me, you looked right at me."  
  
"Of course I did, I wanted to laugh."  
  
"The doctors and the coroner and the mortician were all so easy to pay off, I mean, when I started this whole thing into motion I was sure one of them would blow it, but nope, pulled it off without a hitch, closed casket, of course it was closed casket, because I wasn't even in there," she said with an evil laugh.  
  
Yes, it was true, in their ultimate revenge, Stephanie and Chris had duped everyone. Not just Hunter, as was originally planned, but every single person. They deserved it all. Now here Stephanie and Chris were happy, living off of Stephanie's money that she had deposited in bank accounts in foreign countries. Chris still worked for the company, enough to get the dirt on everyone.  
  
Faking her own death hadn't been too hard, now that she thought back to it. After she had left Chris the morning of her supposed to be wedding, she had taken her car to a junkyard and gotten it pretty demolished. She then took the car, by tow truck, to a remote location. The tow truck guy had conveniently dumped the car, upside down, on a remote road. A few hundred dollars had persuaded him to make a phone call to the local hospital.  
  
Stephanie then called her house and talked to Chris, telling him that the accident had happened. Chris had taken out his cell phone and called the doctor. The same doctor they had discussed this whole plan with earlier. He had agreed, after being paid well over 100,000 dollars. The doctor had sent the dispatch out to get Stephanie, who was by now, playing injured on the side of the road. She had bladed herself, hating that, but finding it necessary.  
  
The ambulance had come and taken her to the hospital. The aforementioned doctor made sure that he was the only one who saw her and worked on her. She had discussed with him the best way to die without bleeding and he had mentioned internal bleeding. So she got into the hospital bed while he called her parents. The real performance had come with the acting. Once her parents and Hunter arrived, she put on the performance of her life. She hadn't felt bad about the Hunter part, he was getting what he deserved, but her parents, she did feel slightly bad about. The three of them were too wrapped up in their sorrow; they hadn't noticed her pushing the heart monitor sensor slowly off her body. Once she had gotten it off, the machine beeped, making them think she was dead.  
  
The doctor had rushed them out of the room to try and "save" Stephanie, but it was too late. They took her away and she left out of the back way, a hat covering her features. She got back home to Chris, who had called and arranged things with the coroner and mortician. A little money sure did go a long ways nowadays. Then they whisked themselves off to Florida, Stephanie's new identity having also been solidified along the way, getting a new driver's license and everything once she had dyed and chopped off all her hair, then having it curled.  
  
Chris had played the part of the grieving friend to a tee. He was just as good as she was. He had asked for the different job so that he could spend more time with Stephanie, now Mary, but only for public purposes. In private, she preferred Stephanie and, except for the occasional teasing from Chris, he called her Stephanie.  
  
She had attended her own funeral, sitting in the back, her face covered, and nobody noticed. She didn't expect them to; she didn't have close friends. It was funny seeing everyone so sad for someone who wasn't even really dead. It was a true testament though, seeing all those people thinking she was great. When Hunter had broken down, she had snickered to herself.  
  
Chris was the saving grace, saying exactly what she was thinking. He looked at her; she could feel his eyes on her. She lifted her head, the brim of her hat covering part of her face in shadow. She had looked at him, an evil grin gracing her lovely face. He stepped down, his eyes were on her the entire time, and she almost stood up and laughed heartily at their stupidity.  
  
She caught Chris laughing at her headstone at the burial, but didn't dare approach him. She had chosen that saying as a joke, knowing only he would truly get it. They had stood there for a while. It was as if Stephanie was burying her old life and in a way she was. She didn't care however, as she and Chris turned away.  
  
Now they had been married for a year, and they had never said they loved each other. For the longest time, she didn't think they felt that way. Sure, the passion was there, but they weren't the kind of people who loved things, at least each other. So here they were, and she actually felt...happy, and not because of the revenge, but just happy to be here with him.  
  
"You're awfully quiet," he said, as he ran his hand over her back, slickly untying her bikini top.  
  
"It's been a year."  
  
"I know, and I haven't even wanted to look at another chick," he said, "Scary isn't it?"  
  
"No, the year hasn't been scary," she said, "It's the love thing that's scary. Especially for us."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"If we hurt each other, we're just going to want revenge against each other."  
  
"I wouldn't hurt you...I'm all you have."  
  
"True," she said, "But you can hurt me. You probably will."  
  
"No, I won't, I'm not Shane, Stephanie, I'm not going to turn on you. I'm in too deep with this one. I mean, we got married...why did we get married again?"  
  
"You know why," she said, "Because if Hunter had married me when I was in the hospital, then it would've meant that I was married and I couldn't have that."  
  
"Oh yeah," he said, "I still wouldn't hurt you."  
  
"Good, because I'd hurt you back, twice as hard," she said.  
  
"Well, you did pull off your own death. I don't even want to know what you are capable of pulling off on me."  
  
"It's getting late, you want to go inside?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
She got up off him, tying her top back on her body. Chris licked his lips as he regarded her, staring at her cleavage that was about ready to burst out of her top. She grinned lasciviously at him, flashing him very quickly. Then she turned and started running towards the house. Chris hopped up and ran after her, catching up to her as she ran for the stairs leading up to the house. He tossed her over his shoulder and carried her inside.  
  
"I'd tell you to put me down, but I'm enjoying the view," Stephanie said as she looked down at his ass.  
  
"I knew you would," he said, slapping her ass with his hand.  
  
"Oh, you want it rough tonight," she said, "It is our anniversary after all."  
  
"I know," he said, "And I got you a present."  
  
"You're serious?" she said, squirming out of his arms to face him.  
  
"Yeah," he shrugged, "I mean, I do love you and all that, you know, I figured...you didn't get me anything?"  
  
"I did," she said, "I mean, you know, cause I love you and stuff."  
  
"You know, we don't have to say we love each other all the time, I think we've known it for a while anyways, we'll just keep it very quiet," he said, "Don't want it to get out that I can actually love someone."  
  
"Yeah, might ruin our image."  
  
"So where's my present?"  
  
"Where's mine?" she teased.  
  
"Fine, I'll give you mine first, but how about we get some champagne first, it'll lighten the mood."  
  
She nodded and they walked into the large kitchen. He pulled a bottle from the wine rack as she grabbed two champagne flutes from the cabinet. Together they went into the living room. They set their things down on the coffee table and then went off to get their presents for each other. They came back down and sat across from each other on the couch.  
  
"You first," Stephanie repeated.  
  
Chris thrust a tape at her, "Here."  
  
"You got me a tape...how romantic," she said sarcastically, "What will I ever do with a tape?"  
  
"Watch it," he said, grabbing it and walking over to their massive entertainment center. He stuck the tape in and came back down to sit with her. She leaned against him as he rested a hand on her breast.  
  
The tape started off fuzzy and then she could clearly see it was a surveillance tape. She smiled as she watched. He had picked up everything that happened backstage. She mentioned sometimes she wished she could see everyone, and plot like old times, and he had remembered and thought of her. She grinned as she saw people being in love and thinking about how she could mess with them. Chris being a writer definitely helped in that department; they had broken up many relationships just by writing storylines together.  
  
The final scene showed Hunter. He still looked terrible. She laughed at his appearance. He pulled something out of his pocket and looked at it for a long moment. He wiped at his eyes as he stared at it, and Chris leaned over to kiss her passionately, but she kept her eyes on the television.  
  
"It's a picture of me huh?"  
  
"Yup, carries it around, like a zombie, it's funny actually," he said, rubbing her breast as he watched, "Especially cause he's mourning while I'm fucking you senseless every night."  
  
The tape ended and she laughed, "That was great."  
  
"Now yours," he said excitedly.  
  
She took out a couple envelopes and handed them to him. He took them from her curiously and opened the first one.  
  
"Read it aloud," she said.  
  
"Ok," he said, then started reading, "Dear Shane, if you're reading this, I'm dead, but I needed you to see this anyways. I hated your fucking guts. I wished every night that you would die, just so I could dance on your grave. Unfortunately, I'm gone first, but that doesn't mean that I won't take my vengeance on you. I will Shane, the plan is in motion right as we speak. You think I'm gone, I'm far from gone, I may be dead, but that's not stopping me. Beware Shane, the day will come, the day will come...soon. Your loving sister Stephanie."  
  
Chris started laughing, "My God! This is great, planning a little something for Shane are we?"  
  
"Yes, I figure the time has passed and he's secure enough that this will scare the shit out of him. What better than the vengeance of a dead sister to scare you straight."  
  
"So it all begins again does it?"  
  
"It does," she smirked, "Read the other one."  
  
"Ok," he said again, grabbing the other letter, "To my dear Hunter. I'm dead, obviously, but the best time for confessions are on your deathbed, or in this case, beyond the grave. I never loved you, not once, I'm not lying, I'm writing this before our wedding and darling, I don't love you. I love Chris Jericho, I always have, and we fucked. That night you proposed, well sweetie, we fucked, he was pissed and we fucked. And it was the best I've ever had."  
  
Chris raised an eyebrow, "And I don't love you, and I don't want to marry you, how's that Hunter, this is what I'm feeling, it was probably how I died feeling. Bye darling, Stephanie."  
  
"You like?"  
  
"You're devious," he said, "You're terrible and devious and I love you."  
  
"You do like," she grinned, "And you have the pleasure of delivering them."  
  
"Hand delivering?"  
  
"No, in their mailbox. That way, Shane knows his revenge has come and Hunter realizes that he was never good enough for me, it should break his heart sufficiently."  
  
Chris had no response for this, and simply grabbed the champagne bottle. He popped it open and let the cork fly, some of the champagne pouring out. Stephanie caught it with a glass and he poured champagne into both glasses, setting the bottle down afterwards. She handed him one glass as she took the other. They stared at each other for a second, thinking of the appropriate toast, and only one thing came to mind. Chris raised his glass.  
  
"Stephanie, to evil."  
  
THE END  
  
A/N: Yup, over, a little sad isn't it? Well don't be sad! There's a sequel coming very soon. As in like within the next couple of weeks soon. Too much unresolved revenge to go through. ;) But huge THANKS for reading this story and I hope you enjoyed all of it. :D 


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